LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Leader of the House which Ministers attended his meeting with IPSA on 19 January 2012; and what issues were discussed at that meeting.

George Young: Neither my Deputy nor I met with IPSA on 19 January 2012.
	Since the House returned in October 2011, I have met with the Chair or chief executive of IPSA on four occasions, on a range of issues. My Deputy has also met with the chief executive on one occasion.
	Details of Cabinet Office Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external organisations are published on a quarterly basis and can be accessed on the data.gov.uk website at:
	http://data.gov.uk/dataset/ministerial-data-cabinet-office
	Details of meetings I have had with IPSA will be included in the next regular publication on the data.gov.uk website, with later meetings published regularly thereafter.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Welfare: Circuses

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2012, Official Report, columns 456-7W, on animal welfare: circuses, what progress she has made on her consideration of the Austrian Constitutional Court judgment of 21 December 2011; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Bristol East (Kerry McCarthy) on 1 February 2012, Official Report, column 668W.

Animals: Transport

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to review her policies on the six day rule on animal movement; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: I refer my hon. Friend to my written ministerial statement of 21 February 2012, Official Report, column 73WS, announcing that the Government have published their full response to the Farming Regulation Task Force report. The full response is available on the DEFRA website.

Departmental Food

Neil Parish: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of food purchased by her Department was produced in the UK in each of the last five years.

James Paice: Between 2006 and 2009 estimated figures were published by DEFRA in annual reports on food procurement and are available in the Library of the House. The reports gave an estimate of the proportion of domestically produced indigenous food (i.e. excluding food such as pineapple, citrus etc.) in DEFRA as:
	2006-07: 79.5%
	2007-08: 85%
	2008-09: 90.5%.
	These figures refer to the contract that at the time covered only the DEFRA and latterly DECC offices in Nobel House and Whitehall Place, London.
	Data on the proportion of food procured from the UK were not collected again until DEFRA's current catering contract was awarded on 16 May 2011. Figures show that between May and September 2011 food sourced from the UK under the new DEFRA-wide contract was:
	Meat: 43.5%
	Poultry: 67.1%
	Fruit and Veg: 23.3% of total, 38.5% of indigenous.
	In the period between September and December 2011 this had increased to:
	Meat: 57% (including 100% beef, 100% fresh pork joints)
	Poultry: 90%
	Fruit and Veg: 96% of indigenous, in-season products (not including potatoes)
	Potatoes: 17%
	And in total 61% by value of the food provided was sourced from the UK.
	The figures before and after 16 May 2011 do not compare like with like. The figures for the current catering contract are representative of the whole of DEFRA including offices in Workington, Newcastle, York (Sand Hutton), York (Kings Pool), Worcester, London (Nobel House), London (DECC at Whitehall), Weybridge and Lowestoft, in all of which the caterer trades from the premises on a largely unsubsidised, commercial basis.

Departmental Recruitment

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department has spent on (a) recruitment services and (b) executive search agencies in each month since May 2010; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: The following table shows how much core-DEFRA has spent on (a) recruitment services and (b) executive search agencies in each month since May 2010.
	
		
			 £ 
			  Recruitment services (excluding public appointments) Executive search agencies (excluding public appointments) Public appointment recruitment services Public appointment executive search agencies 
			 2010     
			 May 3,863.01 0 0 0 
			 June 0 2,500 0 0 
			 July 0 2,676.90 0 0 
			 August 0 0 0 0 
			 September 24,750 23,797.87 585.71 0 
			 October 44,550 7,500 2,468.60 0 
			 November 19,800 0 639.90 0 
			 December 57,750 4,500 0 0 
			      
			 2011     
			 January 8,250 1,900 0 0 
			 February 4,781.16 0 0 0 
			 March 0 0 2,303.90 6,600 
			 April 52 0 2,075.15 0 
			 May 3,558 0 351.40 0 
			 June 0 0 1,924.50 0 
			 July 9,000 0 0 0 
			 August 0 6,666.67 1,058.66 0 
			 September 0 8,291.67 0 0 
			 October 0 0 0 0 
			 November 0 0 0 0 
			 December 0 0 0 13,000 
			      
			 2012     
			 January 0 0 0 0

Environmental Stewardship Scheme

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the installation of wind turbines will affect the allocation of additional funding for hill farmers under the Environmental Stewardship schemes.

Richard Benyon: Farmers with wind turbines on their land, who are considering applying for Environmental Stewardship, including Uplands Entry Level Stewardship, would need to consider how their presence may affect the delivery of the environmental management required by the scheme. The Environmental Stewardship handbook stresses that, in applying for the scheme, applicants will be making a long-term commitment to land management where failure to fulfil the commitment could result in penalties.
	Where land is already under an agri-environment scheme agreement and wind turbines are being considered, farmers should discuss the implications for their agreement with Natural England, since these may have an adverse impact on the management being paid for.

Fossil Fuels: Exploration

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has had discussions with the Geological Society on the toxicity levels of chemicals used in fracking.

Richard Benyon: Neither DEFRA officials nor officers at the Environment Agency have held discussions regarding the toxicity levels of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing with the Geological Society. The Environment Agency would not expect to consult with them on such matters.

Fossil Fuels: Exploration

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the levels of methane in groundwater prior to hydraulic fracturing taking place.

Richard Benyon: No specific assessment of methane levels in groundwater was made prior to hydraulic fracturing in the Lancashire area. There is no major aquifer with usable water resources in the area of the current shale gas exploration. Some testing of methane in groundwater (in the Permo Triassic sandstones) was undertaken previously by the Environment Agency.
	Methane occurs in groundwater at low concentrations, where there are suitable natural conditions, and this is currently the subject of an investigation by the British Geological Survey.

Nature Improvement Areas

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to decide on the award of Nature Improvement Area status.

Richard Benyon: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), has today announced the results of the Nature Improvement Areas competition.
	The 12 Nature Improvement Areas will begin work on 1 April 2012. Further details, including guidance, and time scales are available on the Natural England website. The 12 areas selected are:
	Birmingham and Black Country Living Landscapes
	Dark Peak
	Dearne Valley Green Heart
	Greater Thames Marshes
	Humberhead Levels
	Marlborough Downs
	Meres and Mosses of the Marches
	Morecambe Bay Limestone and Wetlands
	Nene Valley
	Northern Devon
	South Downs Way Ahead
	Wild Purbeck

Poultry: Animal Welfare

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects UK egg producers to fully comply with the laying hens directive banning eggs produced in battery cages; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: Full compliance with the conventional cage ban as set out in Council Directive 1999/74/EC was achieved in the UK on 13 February.

Rights of Way

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress her Department has made in implementing the recommendations of the report by Natural England, Stepping Forward, on the recording of pre-1949 public rights of way.

Richard Benyon: In “The Natural Choice: securing the value of nature”, the Government’s Natural Environment White Paper, we announced plans to consult on simplifying and streamlining the processes for recording and making changes to public rights of way, based on proposals made by Natural England’s Stakeholder Working Group on unrecorded rights of way in its report entitled “Stepping Forward”. We will be issuing a consultation document in due course.

Travellers: Dogs

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made on the effect on heathland habitats of dogs emanating from Gypsy and Traveller sites; and what steps she plans to take on this matter.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA has made no assessment of the effect on heathland habitats of dogs emanating from Gypsy and Traveller sites, although studies do exist that consider the impact of visitor's dogs on the wildlife of heathlands. In general, dogs may have three types of impact on heathlands: disturbance to ground-nesting birds, eutrophication (nutrient enrichment) from dog fouling, and conflicts with livestock.
	Additionally, local authorities have the power to make dog control orders (DCOs) where it is deemed a necessary and proportionate response to problems caused by the activities of dogs and those in charge of them. DCOs can be made to control: dog fouling, restriction of dogs from certain land, areas where dogs have to be kept on a lead, areas where dogs have to be kept on a lead when instructed and restrictions on multiple dog walking.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Plea Bargaining

Robert Buckland: To ask the Attorney-General what estimate he has made of the savings to the public purse arising from the implementation of his guidelines for plea discussions; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Garnier: No such estimate has been made. Data on costs in cases where plea discussions might be involved are not collated centrally by the prosecuting Departments and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Abu Qatada

Bob Blackman: To ask the Attorney-General if he will ask the Director of Public Prosecutions to consider evidence that Abu Qatada could be charged with offences under hate crime legislation.

Dominic Grieve: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has no power to investigate allegations of crime. The police decide whether an investigation is required and how it should be conducted.
	The CPS considers evidence provided to it by the police and will bring charges where there is both sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction for an offence and it is in the public interest to do so.
	In the case of Abu Qatada the CPS has not to date received sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence.

Action for Employment

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Attorney-General what contracts the Law Officers' Departments holds with A4e; and what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary value is of each such contract.

Dominic Grieve: The Law Officers' Departments do not hold any contracts with A4e.

Contempt of Court: Media

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Attorney-General what steps he is taking to ensure that media organisations can be held to account through the law of contempt.

Dominic Grieve: Over the past year the Law Officers have instituted contempt proceedings against media organisations whose reporting appears to have breached the law of contempt. A recent example of this was the successful proceedings brought against the Daily Mirror and the Sun for their reporting of the arrest of Christopher Jefferies in connection with the murder of Joanna Yeates. It should be remembered that in these cases the Law Officers act not as Government Ministers but rather as guardians of the public interest.
	It is important to note that the Law Officers also work with the media to encourage responsible reporting. To that end the Attorney-General has actively engaged with the media, both broadcast and print, meeting with editors and reporters in an effort to explain his role. He also gave a speech recently at the City university, school of Journalism outlining the purpose of the Contempt of Court Act—an Act which seeks to protect both the freedom of the press and the right to a fair trial.
	http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.uk/NewsCentre/Speeches/Pages/ContemptAbalancingact.aspx

Departmental Recruitment

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Attorney-General how much the Law Officers' Departments have spent on (a) recruitment services and (b) executive search agencies in each month since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Garnier: Information on the payments made for recruitment services is contained in the following table by financial year (April to March).
	
		
			 Recorded expenditure 
			 £ 
			  TSOL HMCPSI SFO AGO 
			 Financial years 2010-11 2011-12 2010-11 2011-12 2010-11 2011-12 2010-11 2011-12 
			 April 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 May 8,100 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 June 40,500 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 July 8,441 0 0 1,168 0 0 0 0 
			 August 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 September 3,390 0 0 0 0 36,000 0 0 
			 October 46 6,869 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 November 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 December 0 31,581 2,230 0 0 0 0 130 
			 January 3,071 4,913 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 February 21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 March 0 n/a 0 n/a 0 n/a 0 n/a 
			 Total 63,568 43,363 2,230 1,168 0 36,000 0 130 
		
	
	Since May 2010 the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has spent nothing on recruitment services or executive search agencies.
	The Attorney-General's Office made the following payments in 2011 to an executive search agency while recruiting a new director for the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). These charges will be recharged to the SFO in due course.
	
		
			  Payments made (£) 
			 August 8,000 
			 September 8,000 
			 October 8,000 
			 November 1,296 
			 December 5,040 
		
	
	There has been no expenditure by any of the remaining Law Officer's Departments on executive search agencies.

Fraud

Robert Buckland: To ask the Attorney-General how many fraud cases were defined as serious or complex under his guidelines on plea discussions in cases of complex or serious fraud in (a) 2010 and (b) 2011.

Edward Garnier: Data are not collated on the number of fraud cases which might in principle be capable of falling within the list of criteria used to define “serious or complex fraud” as outlined under the above guidelines. Such information could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Witnesses: Compensation

John Spellar: To ask the Attorney-General what discussions he has had on the recent case in which the Crown Prosecution Service and Metropolitan police paid compensation for revealing the identity of a witness; how much compensation was paid; how much was (a) paid and (b) incurred in legal costs by the Crown Prosecution Service; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Garnier: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the Metropolitan police (MPS) have accepted that the normal standards of care due to a witness were not met in this case, which arose from events seven years ago in 2005 and was mediated between the parties in 2008.
	Since then both the CPS and MPS have continued to make significant changes to witness protection and anonymity. This has included investment in training and the development of specialist expertise in supporting witnesses throughout the criminal justice process. In addition the use of anonymity has been enshrined in the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, and this legislation allows for measures to be taken to ensure that the identity of a witness is not disclosed during criminal proceedings.
	The total damages paid were £550,000, which was shared between the MPS and the CPS. The CPS paid £118,750 towards the claimant's legal costs.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Bangladesh

Jim McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what recent communications he has had with the Government of Bangladesh concerning the human rights situation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region;
	(2)  what recent assessment his Department has made of the human rights situation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region of Bangladesh.

Alistair Burt: We follow developments in the Chittagong Hill Tracts closely, both through our high commission in Dhaka and through the EU.
	EU Heads of Mission visited the region in early February to see how best the EU could support the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord. The UK with the EU will continue to monitor the situation closely.
	We regularly raise our concerns about human rights in Bangladesh both bilaterally with the Bangladesh Government and through the EU. The UK also supports a stronger, independent role for the National Human Rights Commission to investigate any instances of violence or discrimination against any individual or group because of their faith or belief.

British Overseas Territories

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  how many cars were (a) owned and (b) leased by UK (i) embassies, (ii) high commissions and (iii) Governors’ offices in overseas territories in the latest period for which information is available;
	(2)  what proportion of cars (a) owned and (b) leased by UK (i) embassies, (ii) high commissions and (iii) Governors’ offices in overseas territories are manufactured in the UK.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) overseas vehicle fleet comprises approximately 1,480 vehicles, most of which are owned by the FCO. The fleet comprises a mixture of protected and soft skin vehicles and vans and trucks.
	The procurement of vehicles for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is based on achieving value for money, normally by competition and in a manner that conforms with appropriate UK regulations and EU procurement directives. Within that approach, we prefer British missions abroad to buy British branded cars for heads of posts, where they are available and will represent value for money over the entire lifecycle of the asset.
	The FCO’s preferred flag cars are Jaguar and Land or Range Rovers. This is supported by central contracts that have been negotiated against strict value for money criteria. Pool cars for day to day operational use by staff at posts are sourced locally on the basis of value for money. Information about how many cars overseas are leased or the proportion of those manufactured in the UK is not held centrally. To provide this would incur disproportionate cost.

Conflict Prevention

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress his Department has made in establishing a single board to oversee the Building Stability Overseas Strategy; and if he will make a statement.

Henry Bellingham: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), the Ministry of Defence and the Department for International Development, the three Departments jointly responsible for the Building Stability Overseas Strategy (BSOS), in 2011 established a tri-departmental board at senior official level to oversee implementation of the strategy, including overall management of the £180 million conflict pool. The board report to a director general level steering group, which is ultimately accountable for delivery of the commitments set out in BSOS. The head of the tri-departmental stabilisation unit and representatives of other Government Departments are invited to board meetings as required. The chair of the board rotates between the three Departments on an annual basis. The FCO is the current chair. The board aims to meet every two months. Parliament will be kept informed of progress in delivering BSOS through the Strategic Defence and Security Review and also through written ministerial statements. In addition, the Minister of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Melton (Mr Duncan), the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Security Strategy, my hon. Friend the Member for Aldershot (Mr Howarth), and I will be briefing the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Conflict Issues on 14 March 2012 on progress made in delivering BSOS.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent on entertainment at (a) external and (b) internal events in each of the last two years.

David Lidington: This information is available in the form requested only at disproportionate cost. Any expenditure is kept under rigorous scrutiny to ensure value for money and effectiveness and is incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity, Propriety and Value for Money.

Greece

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on civil unrest in Greece.

David Lidington: Our embassy in Athens regularly reports on developments in Greece. Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice for Greece is kept under regular review.

India

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department's Permanent Under-Secretary last visited (a) India and (b) his Department's posts in Mumbai and Delhi in an official capacity.

Jeremy Browne: The last visit by a Foreign and Commonwealth Office Permanent Under-Secretary (PUS) to India was in March 2010, when Sir Peter Ricketts visited the British high commission in Delhi. The PUS has not recently visited our deputy high commission in Mumbai.

Iran

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to protect Christians in Iran from persecution; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: I am especially concerned by the ongoing persecution of Iran's religious minorities, including widespread denial of the freedom to worship and an ongoing crackdown on the Christian house-church movement. The call by the Supreme Leader in October 2011 to prevent the spread of Christianity in Iran exposed the disturbing and dangerous view of Iran's leadership towards Christianity and wider freedom of religion. We are watching closely developments in the case of Pastor Nadarkhani, sentenced to death for apostasy, and maintain that he has no case to answer.
	The British Government have put considerable effort into trying to address the dire human rights situation in Iran. In 2011 the UK played a leading role in introducing EU human rights sanctions and establishing a UN Special Rapporteur on Iran and human rights. Prior to the storming of the British embassy on 29 November, the UK frequently raised concerns about religious persecution with the Iranian authorities. We will continue to press publicly and in international forums for the Iranian Government to meet their international human rights obligations.

Lesotho

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department has taken to support the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Lesotho.

Henry Bellingham: The British Government are looking forward to seeing free and fair parliamentary elections in Lesotho later this year. We have provided a small amount of funding to regional non-governmental organisations involved in electoral work, but channel most of our funding to Lesotho via the UN and EU.

Lesotho

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many electoral observers from the UK will be present during the parliamentary elections in Lesotho scheduled to take place in late February 2012.

Henry Bellingham: The Government of Lesotho have not yet formally announced the date of the parliamentary elections, or invited monitors and observers. EU diplomats observed the local government elections in October 2011.

Madagascar

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many electoral observers from the UK will be present during the parliamentary elections in Madagascar scheduled to take place in March 2012.

Henry Bellingham: The date for parliamentary elections in Madagascar has not been formally announced.
	The British Government fully support the Southern African Development Community's (SADC) mediation efforts and has welcomed the signing of the SADC roadmap in September 2011 which sets out a process towards free and fair elections. We currently have no plans to send electoral observers to Madagascar. With the wider international community, we encourage the Malagasy parties to make progress on the implementation of the roadmap so that a date for elections can be confirmed.

Madagascar

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department has taken to support the parliamentary elections in Madagascar scheduled to take place in March 2012.

Henry Bellingham: The British Government fully support the Southern African Development Community's (SADC) led mediation efforts in Madagascar. We welcomed the signing of a SADC roadmap in September 2011 which sets out a process towards free and fair elections and we encourage the Malagasy parties to make progress on its implementation. In December 2011, we fully supported the gradual resumption of EU development funding to Madagascar in support of elections in line with agreed benchmarks under the framework of article 96 of the Cotonou agreement. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), announced in May 2011 that Britain intends to open an embassy and appoint an ambassador in Madagascar once the political conditions allow.

Mali

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contact he has had with the authorities in Mali concerning the situation in that country, following the recent violence in Bamako and the growing insurgency by the Tuareg ethnic group.

Henry Bellingham: Britain, along with EU and international partners, is deeply concerned by recent incidents of violence in Bamako and northern Mali. Our ambassador in Bamako engages regularly with the Malian authorities and has raised our concerns with the Malian Foreign Minister. We continue to monitor the situation closely.

Mali

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the current security situation in Mali, following the recent violence in Bamako and the growing insurgency by the Tuareg ethnic group.

Henry Bellingham: The British Government continue to monitor the situation of the Tuareg in Mali. We are concerned by recent reports of clashes between Tuareg rebels and Malian security forces. We do not condone armed action by rebel groups. We encourage all parties to find peaceful solutions. We are also concerned at the increasing numbers of displaced persons in the region as a result of the conflict.
	We welcome President Touré’s appeal to the Malian people for unity, and call on the Malian Government to continue efforts to ensure the safety and security of all Malian citizens and on the Malian people to remain committed to tolerance and peace.

Occupied Territories

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the government of Israel on proposed evictions and house demolitions in the Al Bustan area of Silwan in East Jerusalem.

Alistair Burt: We view demolitions and evictions in occupied territory as causing unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians, as harmful to the peace process and, in all but the most limited circumstances, as contrary to international humanitarian law.
	We have made clear to the Israeli authorities in various meetings our serious concern at the 40% increase during 2011, as recorded by the UN, in demolitions of Palestinian properties in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
	I raised Israeli plans for the City of David National Park in Al Bustan area of Silwan in East Jerusalem most recently on 23 February 2012 with the Israeli ambassador to London. The British ambassador to Tel Aviv raised our concerns on 20 February 2012 with Interior Minister Yishai. We have also discussed the issue with the Jerusalem municipality.
	We and our EU partners are continuing to follow closely developments in Silwan, East Jerusalem, including threatened and actual demolition of Palestinian homes.

Occupied Territories: Housing

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Israeli government on the possible eviction of Palestinian citizens from the town of Silwan in East Jerusalem; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: We are urging the Israeli authorities to desist from the threatened demolitions and evictions from the town of Silwan in East Jerusalem, which we consider to be contrary to Israel's obligations under international humanitarian law; harmful to the peace process; as well as causing unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians.
	I raised the Israeli plans for the City of David National Park in Al Bustan area of Silwan with the Israeli ambassador to London on 23 February 2012. The British ambassador to Tel Aviv raised this issue with the Israeli Minister of Interior on 20 February. Embassy officials also lobbied the Jerusalem municipality on 21 February and were told that the municipality had no plans to conduct wide-scale demolitions in the immediate future. I issued a statement condemning the decision of the Jerusalem authorities to build additional Israeli structures in Silwan on 30 December 2011.
	We and our EU partners are following closely developments in Silwan and East Jerusalem, including threatened and actual demolition of Palestinian homes.

Somalia

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether NATO will be represented at the London Somalia conference in February 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Henry Bellingham: Given the political, regional security and humanitarian focus of the Conference, and against tight space restrictions, we invited countries and multilateral organisations to take part who are active across the range of areas that the Conference discussed: Political Process, Security, Counter-terrorism, Piracy, Local Stability, Humanitarian and International Co-ordination. NATO were not represented at the 23 February London Conference on Somalia, though a number of Alliance members were present.

Third Sector

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department has taken to implement the principles of the Best Value Statutory Guidance in respect of (a) giving at least three months' notice to voluntary and community organisations and their service users when reducing or ending funding, (b) engaging with voluntary and community organisations and service users as early as possible before making a decision on the future of the service, any knock-on effects on assets used to provide this service and the wider impact on the local community and (c) making provision for voluntary and community organisations and service users to put forward options on how to reshape the service or project.

David Lidington: The majority of Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) expenditure takes place overseas. Nevertheless:
	(a) FCO standard Contract Terms reflect a proportionate approach and provide for 3 Months’ notice of Termination for larger valued contracts.
	(b) We are implementing a Category Management approach and using the Cabinet Office LEAN Principles (including early market engagement) to manage our higher valued procurements, therefore we will develop appropriate procurement strategies to ensure our tenders are transparent, fair and non-discriminatory.
	(c) Early market engagement also affords potential providers the opportunity to put forward innovative solutions to our requirements.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Abu Qatada

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons Abu Qatada was not brought to trial in the UK.

Dominic Grieve: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Attorney-General’s Office.
	The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has no power to investigate allegations of crime. The police decide whether an investigation is required and how it should be conducted. The CPS considers evidence provided to it by the police and will bring charges where there is both sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction for an offence and it is in the public interest to do so.
	In the case of Abu Qatada the CPS has not to date received sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many items protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, by category, have been seized by the UK Border Agency in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Lynne Featherstone: The following table provides data, taken from HM Revenue and Customs central records, relating to birds seized during financial years, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2010-11.
	
		
			 Birds 
			  2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Number seized 3 0 9 14 0 
			 Number of seizures 3 0 2 (1)1 0 
			 (1 )One seizure of 14 eggs. 
		
	
	These seizures were made using customs enforcement powers, in relation to live animals listed as endangered species under Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97, on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora. This regulation implements the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), within the EU. The UK Border Agency now has responsibility for enforcement of illegal imports and exports under this regulation.
	The decline in seizures reflects the import ban on birds entering the UK other than for inter zoo transfers or personal pets following the avian flu outbreak.
	Information on all CITES seizures made by the former HM Customs and Excise prior to 2005, is available on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs website, at the following link:
	http://archive.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/wildlife/trade-crime/cites/action-uk.htm#enforcement

Cybercrime

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether officials in her Department have met the (a) Internet Service Providers Association and (b) London Internet Exchange since October 2011; whether the interception of users' internet traffic in order to extract data was discussed at any such meeting; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: Home Office officials met with the London Internet Exchange on 9 December 2011 and the Internet Service Providers Association on 9 January 2012 as part of the Department's ongoing engagement with industry. The Government's commitment, as set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review, to continue to work to preserve the ability of the law enforcement, security and intelligence agencies, in order to obtain communications data and to intercept communications within the appropriate legal framework, was I am told discussed.

Departmental Internet

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions her Department has requested that YouTube remove material from its site since May 2010; what the reason was for each request being made; whether each such request was agreed to or refused; and from which agency or police force each request originated.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office has not requested that YouTube remove content from their site.

Police: Bahrain

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have held with Mr John Yates about his appointment as police adviser to the Government of Bahrain.

Nick Herbert: None.

Police: Court Orders

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 20 February 2012, Official Report, column 516W, on police: court orders, 
	(1)  for what reasons the information requested is not available by police force;
	(2)  what recent estimate she has made of the number of applications for production orders by police forces.

Nick Herbert: The information requested is not provided by police forces because it does not form part of the Annual Data Requirement which the Home Office makes of police forces.
	Because the data are not collected centrally, no reasonable estimate of the number of applications for production orders can be made.

Police: Greater Manchester

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers (a) have retired from and (b) have been recruited to Greater Manchester Police in the last 12 months.

Nick Herbert: The latest available figures show that 263 police officers retired from and 17 police officers were recruited to Greater Manchester Police from l April 2010 to 31 March 2011 (full-time equivalents). The figure for retirement includes normal and medical retirements. The figure for the number of police officers recruited to Greater Manchester Police includes transfers, rejoiners, police standard direct recruits and former special constables. Figures for the year 2011-12 will be published in July 2012.

Police: Information and Communications Technology

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will (a) place in the Library and (b) publish a copy of the police ICT company programme risk register.

Nick Herbert: It is not the policy of the Home Department to publish live project or programme level risk registers as they are likely to contain sensitive commercial and/or operational information.

Police: Olympic Games 2012

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces she expects to give assistance to the policing in London of (a) London 2012 Olympics events and (b) the Diamond Jubilee.

James Brokenshire: The precise list of police forces expected to be involved in policing in London over the summer of 2012 is not finalised, but is likely to include most forces. Mutual aid is a common feature of major policing operations in the UK. Requests for mutual aid will be proportionate to the size and capacity of each force, and donor forces will be reimbursed in accordance with the prevailing arrangements.

Police: Pensions

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with the Government Actuary's Department on its interpretation of its duty under the Police Pensions Regulations 1987 between the early 1990s and late 2006; and what assessment she has made of its interpretation of its duty during this time.

Nick Herbert: Home Office Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Police: Pensions

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to publish guidance arising from the review of police injury benefits.

Nick Herbert: The implications of recent judgments given by the Administrative Court on existing guidance are currently being considered. Home Office officials will consult the Police Negotiating Board on any revised guidance on police injury benefits.

Police: Vehicles

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will place in the Library a copy of the National Mandation Agreement for Vehicle Purchase by Police Authorities.

Nick Herbert: The police are mandated to use a specified framework agreement through the Police Act 1996 (Equipment) Regulations 2011. The regulations are available at:
	http://www.legislation.gov.uk
	and I will place a copy in the Library.

Production Orders: Wales

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many production orders were issued by (a) Dyfed Powys Police, (b) Gwent Police, (c) North Wales Police and (d) South Wales Police in each of the last five years.

Nick Herbert: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 30 January 2012, Official Report, column 403W.

Serious Organised Crime Agency

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the initial takedown notice published by the Serious Organised Crime Agency on rnbxclusive.com; for what reason the notice was replaced; whether she authorised the original notice; what discussions she has had with the Chair of the Serious Organised Crime Agency on the notice; and whether she plans to authorise any such notices in the future.

Nick Herbert: The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), is not directly involved in the Serious Organised Crime Agency's operational matters, which are the responsibility of its director general.

Speed Limits: Training

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will encourage all police forces to hold speed awareness courses for drivers who break speed limits.

Nick Herbert: This is an operational matter for the police. I understand that most police forces make such courses available in appropriate cases.

Yvonne Fletcher

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many trips officers in the Metropolitan police force have made to Libya in connection with the investigation into the killing of WPC Yvonne Fletcher since October 2011.

Nick Herbert: Since October 2011, there have been no visits by the Metropolitan Police Service to Libya in connection with the investigation into the killing of WPC Yvonne Fletcher.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Public Expenditure

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  on which dates he has discussed the 2012 Budget, with specific reference to the Northern Ireland economy, with the Chancellor of the Exchequer;
	(2)  what measures he has discussed with the Chancellor of the Exchequer for inclusion in the March 2012 Budget with respect to Northern Ireland.

Owen Paterson: I have regular and ongoing discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), and Treasury Ministers on a number of issues relating to the Northern Ireland economy. I am due to meet the Chancellor again on 7 March to continue our discussions in the Ministerial Working Group on Rebalancing the Northern Ireland Economy.
	It is not the practice of this Government, or previous ones, to make public budget discussions in advance of the Chancellor’s statement to the House.

Third Sector

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps his Department has taken to implement the principles of the Best Value Statutory Guidance in respect of (a) giving at least three months' notice to voluntary and community organisations and their service users when reducing or ending funding, (b) engaging with voluntary and community organisations and service users as early as possible before making a decision on the future of the service, any knock-on effects on assets used to provide this service and the wider impact on the local community and (c) making provision for voluntary and community organisations and service users to put forward options on how to reshape the service or project.

Owen Paterson: My Department does not currently fund any voluntary and community organisations. If it were to, the Best Value Statutory Guidance would be followed.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Senior Civil Servants

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many senior civil servants left his Department in each month since May 2010; what their names are; what the rate of turnover of senior civil servants in his Department was during this period; and if he will make a statement.

David Mundell: One deputy director left the Scotland Office in March 2011. For reasons of personal privacy it would not be appropriate to provide the names of senior civil servants who are no longer in Government employment. The post was filled in July 2011. As there are only four senior civil servants in the Scotland Office, the rate of turnover during this period would be calculated to be 25%.

WALES

Departmental Senior Civil Servants

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many senior civil servants left her Department in each month since May 2010; what their names are; what the rate of turnover of senior civil servants in her Department was during this period; and if she will make a statement.

David Jones: Of the four senior civil servants in post in the Wales Office in May 2010 only one has since left. As is usual practise, we do not release the name for reasons of personal privacy.

Domestic Visits

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what dates she made official visits to (a) Ceredigion, (b) Montgomery, (c) Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, (d) Caerphilly, (e) Gower, (f) Rhondda, (g) Dwyfor Meirionnydd, (h) Arfon and (i) Ynys Môn constituency since May 2010.

Cheryl Gillan: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Constituency Secretary of State Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State 
			 (a) Ceredigion 25 February 2011 3 June 2010 
			   4 August 2010 
			   3 February 2011 
			    
			 (b) Montgomery 10 February 2011 25 February 2011 
			    
			 (c) Carmarthen East and Dinefwr n/a n/a 
			    
			 (d) Caerphilly 11 July 20 n/a 
			  26 July 2011  
			    
			 (e) Gower n/a n/a 
			    
			 (f) Rhondda n/a n/a 
			    
			 (g) Dwyfor Meirionnydd 27 February 2012 n/a 
			    
			 (h) Arfon 26 August 2010 28 June 2010 
			  8 July 2011 3 July 2010 
			   9 August 2010 
			   28 October 2010 
			   24 February 2011 
			    
			 (i) Ynys Môn 26 August 2010 10 August 2010 
			   28 October 2010 
			   24 February 2011 
			   17 August 2011

Manufacturing Industries: South West

Neil Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether she has estimated the value of (a) manufacturing and engineering and (b) other supply chains linking the South West and Wales.

David Jones: The manufacturing and engineering sector in Wales is diverse and has strengths across a wide range of areas including automotive technologies, the aerospace industry and opto-electronics. This industry provides highly skilled jobs for the people of Wales and plays an important role in the economy of Wales. The latest figures show that there are 142,000 work force jobs in the manufacturing sector in Wales.
	There are a number of highly-valued multi-national manufacturing companies based in Wales, with Toyota in Deeside, Airbus in Broughton and Sharp in Wrexham, as well as smaller family owned businesses who export their goods worldwide. Manufacturing and engineering businesses in Wales have built up supply chain links with businesses across the UK, including the South West, but more needs to be done to promote the goods and services that companies in Wales produce to encourage more links to be created and to strengthen existing ones.
	The UK Government are committed to working with the Welsh Government in order to achieve these aims.

National Assembly for Wales

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many times she has attended meetings at the National Assembly of Wales in an official capacity in the last four months.

Cheryl Gillan: In the last four months I have attended meetings at Ty Hywel or the Senedd on seven occasions.

Public Expenditure

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent estimate she has made of the current public spend per head of population in Wales.

David Jones: In 2010-11, total spending per head of population in Wales was £9,829.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Equality and Human Rights Commission: Audit

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what recent discussions she has had with the Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission on the qualification of the Commission's accounts in each year since its inception; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: The Minister for Women and Equalities, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) and I have regular discussions with the Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) about a range of issues.
	These include the EHRC's financial management.
	We have been clear from the start that problems with the EHRC's accounts are not acceptable, and we welcomed the news last November that the EHRC had produced a satisfactory set of accounts for the first time since it was set up. We will continue to work with the EHRC including holding regular performance meetings to ensure it stays on track.

Equality and Human Rights Commission: Audit

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what recent discussions she has had with the Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission on the weaknesses identified by the auditor of the Commission in respect of (a) procurement, (b) disbursement of grants, (c) senior management governance and (d) pay remit; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: The Minister for Women and Equalities, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) and I have regular discussions with the chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) about a range of issues.
	These include the EHRC's financial management. My officials receive monthly performance reports, and hold formal quarterly performance review meetings to assess EHRC's financial and operational performance.
	Following the spending review, we announced in October 2010 that we will be reducing the EHRC's budget by over half, from £55 million in 2010-11 to £26 million in 2014-15. And in March 2011, we set out our plans to reform the EHRC. We will respond to the consultation shortly.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Asthma

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the role of trade union health and safety representatives in reducing occupational asthma.

Chris Grayling: No formal assessment of the role of trade union health and safety representatives in reducing occupational asthma has been carried out.
	The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) works with a wide range of employers and employee representatives to address the issue of occupational asthma. Trade union health and safety representatives contribute to this by working with HSE in specific areas where occupational asthma is prevalent including motor vehicle repair, welding, and bakeries. Trade union nominees also participate actively as members of the HSE-led Asthma Partnership Board (APB).

Asthma

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the change in the level of occupational asthma since 2003.

Chris Grayling: Based on an assessment of the latest evidence available from The Health and Occupation Reporting (THOR) network, the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) best estimate is that the incidence of occupational asthma (i.e. new cases occurring each year) had approximately halved in 2010 compared with 2003.
	There is some uncertainty about this estimate because the underlying statistics relate only to those cases referred to respiratory specialists or among workers with access to occupational physicians. The numbers may be influenced by a range of factors, such as the number of participating physicians within the scheme and their reporting habits, and some of these have been taken into account in making the estimate.
	Further information is available at:
	www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/asthma/asthma.pdf

Atos Healthcare: Data Protection

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2012, Official Report, column 346W, what penalties an Atos Healthcare employee would face should he or she breach the Medical Services Agreement in relation to confidentiality.

Chris Grayling: The penalties an Atos Healthcare employee would face should he or she breach the Medical Services Agreement in relation to confidentiality would be dependent upon the circumstances of the case. The matter would be pursued in accordance with the Atos Healthcare disciplinary process which may lead to dismissal.

Atos Healthcare: Data Protection

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2012, Official Report, column 346W, how many Atos Healthcare employees were prosecuted for breach of confidentiality rules in (a) 2008, (b) 2009, (c) 2010, (d) 2011 and (e) 2012 to date.

Chris Grayling: No Atos Healthcare employees have been prosecuted for breach of confidentiality rules in the specified period from 2008 to date.

Atos Healthcare: Data Protection

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2012, Official Report, column 346W, how many Atos Healthcare employees were prosecuted for breach of confidentiality rules in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland, (c) England and (d) Wales in the latest period for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: There were no Atos Healthcare employees prosecuted for breach of confidentiality rules in any of the areas (a) the UK, (b) Scotland, (c) England and (d) Wales.

Atos Healthcare: Incentives

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2012, Official Report, column 346W, whether any employees of Atos Healthcare who are not approved healthcare professionals received a performance-related bonus payment as part of the contract with his Department in (a) 2010 and (b) 2011.

Chris Grayling: No performance-related bonus payments are made as part of the Medical Service contract.

Atos Healthcare: Manpower

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 20 December 2011, Official Report, column 1082W, when Atos Healthcare will be in a position to reintroduce the deployment of healthcare professionals in benefit centres.

Chris Grayling: As a result of health care professional capacity issues it was not possible to progress this initiative beyond the trial period.
	As an alternative, from the start of December, DWP and Atos have agreed the implementation of a telephone help line pilot, which gives decision makers direct access to health care professionals, and advice on complex cases. This pilot will be subject to evaluation in April 2012.
	Any decision to re-introduce health care professionals into benefit centres will now be made taking into account the results of evaluation of the telephone help line pilot along with a review of the support requirements for decision makers.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2011, Official Report, columns 115-6W, on departmental public expenditure, if he will publish his latest assessment of how he plans to achieve efficiency savings of £1.45 billion.

Chris Grayling: The National Audit Office published its findings on Departmental savings in their report, “Reducing costs in the Department for Work and Pensions” published in June 2011 (1089 Session 2010-12). This report refers to the £1.45 billion of savings for the financial year 2011-12. The Department is intending to publish progress on these savings in its 2012-13 Delivery Plan.

Employment Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many lone parents have applied for financial support from the flexible support fund since its establishment;
	(2)  how many lone parents are in receipt of financial support from the flexible support fund; and for what purposes.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.
	Information regarding how many lone parents are in receipt of financial support from the flexible support fund (FSF) is not available.
	The types of financial support that are provided to lone parents from the flexible support fund include travel and child care costs to cover training and other work related activities and support to help overcome barriers to taking up employment such as clothing, tools, training and certificates.

Employment Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many participants in the Mandatory Work Activity Scheme have been placed with private companies.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available. Mandatory Work Activity is delivered by contracted providers who source the placements. The Department for Work and Pensions does not specify what the placements should be, but does specify that al placements under the Mandatory Work Activity scheme must be of benefit to the local community. Although the Department does not rule out the possibility that placements in the private sector could meet this requirement, for example with the community outreach service of a privately owned sports club, it is likely that the majority of Mandatory Work Activity placements will be outside the private sector.

Employment Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 17 January 2012, Official Report, column 645W, on employment schemes, what the (a) maximum, (b) minimum and (c) average payment to providers, across the range of providers, was for mandatory work activity.

Chris Grayling: The payments made to mandatory work activity providers are Commercial in Confidence. Release of this data could compromise any future commercial negotiations about mandatory work activity.

Industrial Health and Safety

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he last met the chief executive of the Health and Safety Executive; and what the principal topics of discussion were.

Chris Grayling: As the Minister for Employment, I have responsibility for health and safety, and hold regular meetings with both the chair and chief executive of the Health and Safety Executive to discuss a range of topical matters. The last such meeting was on Wednesday 8 February.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people received assistance from his Department with the cost of meeting mortgage interest repayments in (a) England, (b) the North West and (c) Cumbria in each of the last five years.

Steve Webb: The available information is presented in the following table. The information is not available for recipients of employment and support allowance.
	
		
			 Recipients of support for mortgage interest as part of award of income support, jobseeker's allowance or pension credit, May 2007 to May 2011 
			 Area 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 England 175,600 165,300 178,500 189,000 171,600 
			 North West 30,000 28,300 29,300 30,600 28,100 
			 Cumbria 1,500 1,500 1,600 1,600 1,500 
			 Notes: 1. Case loads are rounded to the nearest hundred. 2. Figures are based on 5% sample data. All figures are subject to a degree of sampling variation. 3. Data is not available for recipients of employment and support allowance. 4. Numbers marked "*" are based on very few sample cases and are subject to a high degree of sampling variation. 5. ‘—’ denotes nil or negligible. 6. Case load figures have been uprated by using 5% proportions against 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) data. 7. Figures provided are a point in time estimate at May in each year. Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Information, Governance and Security Directorate, 5% samples

Social Security Benefits

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the level of benefit expenditure in each of the next five years.

Chris Grayling: The information is in the table.
	
		
			  2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 
			 £ billion, nominal terms 166.6 168.7 172.3 177.3 182.1 
			 £ billion, 2011-12 prices 162.2 160.3 160.0 160.2 160.6 
			 % GDP 10.5 10.2 9.9 9.6 9.4 
			 Notes: 1. Figures cover only benefits falling within the Department for Work and Pensions' annually managed expenditure, along with those elements of housing and council tax benefits funded from local authorities' own revenue. 2. Figures do not include Northern Ireland, except for over-75 TV licences. Source: Office for Budget Responsibility autumn forecasts. 
		
	
	This information has been published at the following address:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/autumn_2011.xls
	A copy of these tables has also been placed in the Library.

Social Security Benefits

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department's timescale is for providing a benefit claimant with a proof of income statement.

Chris Grayling: The internal target for providing claimants with a proof of income statement, following a request received through the post, or over the telephone, is three days. This target applies to jobseekers allowance (JSA), employment and support allowance (ESA) and income support (IS).
	Our year to date performance against this measure as at January 2012 currently stands at:
	an average clearance of 2.7 days for JSA
	an average clearance of 2.8 days for ESA
	an average clearance of 2 days for IS.

Social Security Benefits: Asylum

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the maximum number of benefits is for which (a) an asylum seeker and (b) an asylum seekers' dependants can be eligible whilst residing in the UK.

Chris Grayling: Asylum seekers are people subject to immigration control and cannot claim income-related benefits such as income-based jobseeker's allowance, income support, income-related employment and support allowance, pension credit, housing benefit or council tax benefit.
	Support for asylum seekers is administered by the Home Office and is delivered by the Asylum Support Service

Third Sector

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department has taken to implement the principles of the Best Value Statutory Guidance in respect of (a) giving at least three months' notice to voluntary and community organisations and their service users when reducing or ending funding, (b) engaging with voluntary and community organisations and service users as early as possible before making a decision on the future of the service, any knock-on effects on assets used to provide this service and the wider impact on the local community and (c) making provision for voluntary and community organisations and service users to put forward options on how to reshape the service or project.

Chris Grayling: The Best Value Guidance does not legally apply to Central Government Departments or their executive agencies.
	However, as the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), made clear in his foreword to the revised Best Value Guidance, Central Government Departments support the fair standards set out in the guidance and have re-affirmed their commitment to the national Compact. The issues raised are covered by the Compact. In January the National Audit Office published ‘Central Government's implementation of the national Compact', a report which provides commentary on the implementation of the national Compact across Government. DCLG participated fully in the National Audit Office's review of the National Compact implementation and will be following up as appropriate the recommendations within the National Audit Office report in order to ensure that the Department continues to be a strong model of collaborative working between Government and the voluntary sector.

Vacancies

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average time taken was for posting new job advertisements in each Jobcentre Plus centre in the latest period for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) does not hold the figures requested because job vacancies are no longer placed via Jobcentres. There are three ways in which employers can contact us to place a vacancy via our national service:
	Employer Direct (ED). This is a national telephone service, which is open 8 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday. Most vacancies that are placed over the telephone will go "live" immediately, which means that they will be available on the directgov website and jobpoints. Where a vacancy requires additional paperwork to be completed, for example, if it states a person of a certain age or gender is required, then the vacancy will not be live until the employer has completed and returned the paperwork to the contact centre.
	Employer Direct Online (EDON). This is an online service, which is available at all times, and can be found on the directgov website. Frequent users of EDON have the option to complete checks and sign paperwork to become EDON Approved. This means that when they place vacancies, they will go live straight away. However, there are system checks that may hold a vacancy, meaning that it will require further checking by DWP staff before going live. These checks are cleared within two working hours. If the employer is not EDON Approved, then the vacancy will not go live until it has been checked, again within two working hours.
	National Email Team (NET). This is a national service provided between 8 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday, employers can email their vacancies into the Department. NET has four working hours to complete the necessary checks and post the vacancy.
	During January 2012, ED received 57,820 calls and the average handling time was 6 minutes and 12 seconds, meaning that most vacancies were posted within that time, except when supplementary paperwork was required.
	During January 2012, EDON received 17,596 vacancies that required-checks from DWP staff. Of these 48 were cleared outside of the two hour target.
	During January 2012, NET received 45,547 vacancies. Of these 8,517 were cleared outside of the four hour target.

Young People: Unemployment

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to mandate participation on the 16 to 17 not in education, employment or training programme under the Youth Contract; and how he plans to do so.

Chris Grayling: On 21 February, the Deputy Prime Minister announced further detail on how Government will help the most disengaged 16 to 17-year-olds not in education, employment or training (NEET). This programme will form part of the new Youth Contract; a package of support for unemployed people aged 16 to 24 worth almost £1 billion over the next three years.
	Over the next three years, Government will be investing £126 million in England to deliver a new programme of support designed to get disengaged 16 to 17-year-olds back into education, apprenticeships or work with training. Participation in this programme will not be mandatory.
	To achieve the best results for young people, the programme will give freedom to those delivering the new service so that they can tailor support to meet individuals' needs. We will reward providers when they achieve sustained outcomes.
	The Young People's Learning Agency (the Education Funding Agency from April 2012) will manage the commercial exercise in most parts of England and are now running an open competition which invites providers from all sectors to bid to deliver this programme.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Electoral Register: Tower Hamlets

Lee Scott: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, if he will ask the Electoral Commission to undertake an investigation into recent reports of fraud on the electoral roll in the London borough of Tower Hamlets.

Gary Streeter: Electoral malpractice may involve a criminal offence and, as such, any allegation should be referred to the relevant police force for investigation. In this case, the Commission has been assured by the police and Tower Hamlets electoral registration officer (ERO) that the issue is being treated with the appropriate seriousness. The Electoral Commission will provide advice or support if requested by the investigating force.
	The Electoral Commission takes electoral malpractice very seriously, and works closely with the UK associations of chief police officers to provide guidance and advice to police forces and EROs on preventing and detecting electoral malpractice. The Commission also brings together electoral administrators, police forces, prosecutors, political parties and UK Government officials for regular roundtable discussions on electoral malpractice. The Commission will consider the outcome and implications of any investigation with this group.

Electoral Register: Tower Hamlets

Lee Scott: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what recent assessment the Electoral Commission has made of the level of (a) over and (b) fraudulent registration in the London borough of Tower Hamlets.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it has made no specific assessment of the level of (a) over registration or (b) fraudulent registration in the London borough of Tower Hamlets.
	The Commission carries out research on the completeness and accuracy of electoral registers, and last reported on this in December 2011. This provided estimates for Great Britain as a whole and did not provide any specific estimate for Tower Hamlets.
	The Commission publishes annually, with the UK associations of chief police officers, an analysis of reported cases of alleged electoral malpractice. The most recent analysis, published in February 2011, found that there were two cases of alleged electoral malpractice in Tower Hamlets relating to electoral registration offences during 2010. Following a four month investigation by the Metropolitan police, neither case resulted in any further police action or prosecution.
	The Commission monitors the performance of electoral registration officers (EROs) in Great Britain, including their plans for preventing and detecting electoral malpractice. The most recent report of performance against the standards set by the Commission found that the ERO for Tower Hamlets exceeded this standard in 2010.
	All of these reports are available on the Commission's website and have been placed in the Library of the House of Commons.

DEFENCE

Air Training Corps: Disciplinary Proceedings

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many people were suspended from duty as an officer of the Air Training Corps in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many suspensions from duty as an officer of the Air Training Corps are outstanding from (a) 2010 and (b) 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: The available information for the number of Air Training Corps (ATC) RAF Volunteer Reserve (Training) (RAFVR(T)) officers suspended in each of the years requested and for those still outstanding is as follows:
	
		
			  Number of officers suspended Outstanding suspensions from duty (1) 
			 2010(2) 3 2 
			 2011 11 9 
			 2012(1) 3 3 
			 (1 )Up to 20 February 2012.( ) (2) Data collated from August 2010.

Armed Forces: Hotels

Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent by the (a) Royal Navy, (b) Army and (c) Royal Air Force on hotel rooms for service personnel in the latest period for which figures are available. [R]

Andrew Robathan: The value of hotel room bookings made through the Defence Travel contract for each of the three armed forces during financial year 2011-12 (as at the end of January) has been as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			 Royal Navy 3.4 
			 Army 8.2 
			 Royal Air Force 6.3 
		
	
	Room bookings are generally made on bed and breakfast terms. A small proportion of hotel bookings are not made through the normally mandated Defence Travel contract, but we do not hold a breakdown of such bookings by individual service.
	Hotel and guest house accommodation for members of the armed forces is generally only arranged where the provision of service accommodation is not a practical alternative, for example in support of military operations and exercises.

Armed Forces: Mental Health Services

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance his Department is providing to families of those who are experiencing mental health disorders as a result of their service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Andrew Robathan: The Government take very seriously their responsibility to ensure that service personnel, their families and veterans are properly looked after. We provide support to families of service personnel who experience mental health difficulties through the national health service and social services. In addition to a 24 hours mental health helpline, the Department of Health, together with Combat Stress, have made available to service personnel and their families, ‘The Big White Wall’, an online well-being network staffed by professional counsellors both day and night. Additional local support is available through HIVE, SSAFA, and WRVS.

Armed Forces: Training

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total cost was of Package 1 of the Defence Training Review; and what payments were made to (a) the Welsh Government and (b) Metrix.

Nick Harvey: The total cost of the Defence Training Rationalisation Package 1 programme was some £158.5 million. This includes items such as personnel, training transformation and early works at Ministry of Defence St Athan. Of this total, £95.964 million was paid to Metrix. I can confirm that no payments have been made to the Welsh Government.

Departmental Conditions of Employment

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will bring forward legislative proposals to establish a mandatory break period for senior (a) military officers and (b) civil servants of his Department between leaving employment by his Department and taking up employment in private sector defence companies or companies with defence divisions.

Andrew Robathan: Former Ministry of Defence civil servants and military officers are subject to the Business Appointments Rules which form part of their terms and conditions of service and apply for two years after leaving Crown service. The rules include a requirement for those at permanent secretary and equivalent levels to serve a minimum waiting period of three months between leaving paid civil service employment and taking up an outside appointment or employment. Copies of the rules are accessible at:
	http://acoba.independent.gov.uk/former_crown_servants.aspx

Departmental Conditions of Employment

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 12 January 2012, Official Report, column 422W, on permission requirements for former civil servants taking jobs in industry, what rules and internal procedures apply to personnel in his Department below the level of senior civil servant accepting outside employment.

Andrew Robathan: Decisions on applications below the level of senior civil servant are considered in line with the Business Appointment Rules and processed and approved internally based on the grade or rank of the applicant.

HMS Endurance

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to return HMS Endurance to active duty in Antarctica.

Gerald Howarth: Options are currently being developed for how the Ministry of Defence will provide its Ice Patrol Ship capability in the longer term. A decision on the way forward is expected later in 2012. While this process is under way, no work is being undertaken on HMS Endurance. HMS Protector currently provides this capability to the Royal Navy having commenced her maiden deployment in November 2011.

HMS Protector

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many remote operating vehicles are on board HMS Protector.

Nick Harvey: There are no remote operating vehicles on board HMS Protector.

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect of the US Department of Defence's decision to delay the procurement of 179 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft on the in-service date of Joint Combat Aircraft.

Peter Luff: As a level 1 partner on Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) the UK has worked closely with the US Department of Defence on JSF production costs following their recent declaration of production slowdown. The resultant increases in aircraft costs are currently judged to be within the provision that the Department has made in the current budget planning round and therefore will not impact upon the introduction of JSF into UK service in 2020. The costs of all our programmes, including JSF, are kept under constant review.

Military Bases: Kirknewton

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  when he plans to publish a detailed timetable and budget for the establishment of the proposed army base at Kirknewton;
	(2)  what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) the Scottish government and (b) West Lothian council on the proposed army base at Kirknewton;
	(3)  what steps his Department has taken to upgrade the RAF Kirknewton site to enable it to become the base of one of the Army's multi-role brigades.

Andrew Robathan: The announcement made on 18 July 2011, Official Report, columns 66-70WS, on Defence Transformation, set out our strategic long-term direction on the size of both regular and reserve forces in the Army. This led to the Army 2020 study which is expected to be complete in spring 2012.
	Ahead of the outcomes of this study and further detailed planning work within the Department, no work has yet been undertaken at Kirknewton.
	In the last few months there have been a number of engagement meetings held with the Scottish Office, Scottish Government, and local councils and these will continue to ensure all stakeholders are actively engaged and kept informed.

MOD Abbey Wood

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 12 January 2012, Official Report, column 422W, on permission requirements for former civil servants taking jobs in industry, how many personnel below the rank of senior civil servant have moved from into positions in the defence and security industry since May 2010.

Andrew Robathan: This information in not held in the format requested. I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 12 January 2012, Official Report, column 422W and on 21 February 2012, Official Report, column 776W.

MOD Police and Guarding Agency: Gosport

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what roles are performed by Ministry of Defence police officers in Gosport constituency.

Andrew Robathan: Within the Gosport constituency, the Ministry of Defence police provide armed and unarmed policing, mobile, foot and dog patrols, incident response and a criminal investigation capability.

Project Hadrian

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether his Department has conducted a risk assessment in respect of the potential movement of munitions and explosives on the road network arising from implementation of Option 2A of Project Hadrian;
	(2)  whether he has estimated the potential cost of the maintenance of facilities at other sites arising from the closure of DM Longtown;
	(3)  whether his Department has undertaken a social and economic impact study on the implementation of Option 2A of Project Hadrian;
	(4)  what assessment he has made of the potential risks of implementing Option 2A of Project Hadrian;
	(5)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of Project Hadrian to date.

Peter Luff: holding answer 23 February 2012
	No decisions on the future of Defence Munitions (DM) Longtown have been taken. Work under Project Hadrian to refine and evaluate the options for a munitions storage solution is ongoing, with a decision on the way forward expected later this year.
	The ongoing work will assess the potential risks associated with all the options being examined under Project Hadrian, including the possible closure of DM Longtown and any associated potential changes to the transport of munitions and explosives. Project evaluation will consider the potential cost of maintenance of facilities at other sites and a social and economic impact study will also be undertaken.
	The estimated cost of Project Hadrian to date is £2.7 million which includes £1.8 million for technical support.

Radar: Scotland

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to install Lockheed Martin TPS-77 3D long-range radar equipment in Scotland.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence currently has no plans to install Lockheed Martin TPS-77 3D long-range radar equipment in Scotland.

Third Sector

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department has taken to implement the principles of the Best Value Statutory Guidance in respect of (a) giving at least three months' notice to voluntary and community organisations and their service users when reducing or ending funding, (b) engaging with voluntary and community organisations and service users as early as possible before making a decision on the future of the service, any knock-on effects on assets used to provide this service and the wider impact on the local community and (c) making provision for voluntary and community organisations and service users to put forward options on how to reshape the service or project.

Andrew Robathan: The Best Value Statutory Guidance is intended to apply to local authorities rather than to central Government Departments and their agencies. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is, however, committed to the principles set out in the renewed National Compact, the agreement which aims to ensure that Government and voluntary and community organisations work effectively together for the benefit of citizens and local communities. Along with all other central Government Departments, the MOD and its agencies are also signed up to the fair standards set out in paragraph five of the Best Value Statutory Guidance.
	The MOD has a long history of working closely and successfully with voluntary and community organisations to support both local communities and the armed forces community.

USA: Nuclear Weapons

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on that country's planned reduction in its nuclear arsenal.

Nick Harvey: Officials and Ministers have regular dialogue with the United States on a range of defence issues, including deterrence and disarmament. The UK welcomes progress towards our vision of a world without nuclear weapons.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Business Premises

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions his Department has had with Telford and Wrekin council and Shropshire council on the sharing of back-office services.

Bob Neill: The Department has held no discussions with Telford and Wrekin council and Shropshire on the sharing of back-office services. In relation to procurement expenditure in 2010-11 for each local authority in England, I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 23 February 2012, Official Report, columns 892-93W.

Council Tax Benefits

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the likely cost to local authorities of (a) designing and (b) consulting on a local council tax support scheme to replace council tax benefit.

Bob Neill: The Government are committed to undertaking a full new burdens assessment of the administration and transition costs of localising council tax support, the findings of which will be published in due course.

Enterprise Zones: North East

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent progress he has made in the establishment of enterprise zones in the North East; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Clark: The Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), announced in his autumn statement of 29 November 2011, Official Report, columns 799-810, that the North East Enterprise Zone would be extended to include additional sites around the Port of Blyth. These have been added to the existing sites in the North East Enterprise Zone, located on the River Tyne North Bank and along the A19 Corridor. This extension was agreed on the basis of the considerable existing investment and future opportunities in renewable energy around the Port. The Chancellor also announced in November that both the North East Enterprise Zone and the Tees Valley Enterprise Zone would benefit from enhanced capital allowances on certain sites where companies makes large scale investments in plant and machinery. These and other financial incentives in the zones will be available from April 2012. Planning simplification is also being brought forward in the zones by local planning authorities and will also be adopted in some sites, subject to consultation, by April.

Enterprise Zones: Operating Costs

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department expects to spend on administering each enterprise zone in each of the next five years.

Greg Clark: holding answer 20 February 2012
	Enterprise zones are being established by local delivery teams and are not administered centrally.

Fire Services: Emergency Calls

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) genuine and (b) malicious fire emergency calls have been received by the West Yorkshire fire and rescue service in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12 to date; and how many such calls were received nationally in each of the last five years.

Bob Neill: This information is held centrally only for periods up to 2009-10. Following the consultation on fire and rescue service non-financial annual returns, a summary of which can be found at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/fire/frsand fosisummaryofresponses
	fire and rescue services are no longer asked to provide returns of number of emergency calls.
	The data available on the number of malicious false alarm calls and all other emergency calls in England for the last five years are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Total emergency calls and malicious false alarms calls, England, 2006-07 to 2010-11 
			  2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 (1) 
			 Malicious false alarms calls 49,858 45,678 35,909 29,883 n/a 
			 Other emergency calls 1,505,662 1,324,813 1,269,933 1,211,406 n/a 
			 Total emergency calls 1,555,520 1,370,491 1,305,842 1,241,289 n/a 
			 (1) Data held centrally only until 2009-10. Source: Annual returns to the Department for Communities and Local Government.

High Street Review

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the National Planning Policy Framework will take into account the planning recommendations included in the Portas Review if it is published prior to the Government's formal response to that Review.

Greg Clark: We are considering all the responses received as part of the consultation on the draft National Planning Policy Framework, In doing so, we will take account of the recommendations included in the Portas Review.

Housing

Nick Raynsford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of homes submitted for the purpose of New Homes Bonus claims in 2010-11 were (a) newly-constructed and (b) converted from existing properties in each local authority in England.

Grant Shapps: holding answer 31 January 2012
	The main data source used to calculate the New Homes Bonus is the council tax base form. The affordable housing premium is measured using separate affordable supply and Traveller caravan count data.
	The council tax base form can be used to measure the net change in ‘effective’ stock (or stock in use). It does not distinguish between new build and conversions. The provisional allocations, announced in December, show that 136,920 homes were added in the year to October 2011 (this includes new build and conversions). Including long-term empty properties being brought back into use, an additional 159,000 homes were added to England’s housing stock.
	Further to the right hon. Member’s question in the House on 30 January 2012, Official Report, column 542, I have asked officials to undertake a preliminary check of the situation in the Royal borough of Kensington and Chelsea. That initial assessment suggests that the additional band A dwellings mostly represent large houses converted into multiple flats; some additional flats being created in existing premises through structural alterations and some changes to composite hereditaments (commercial buildings with a residential element). It is not, as the right hon. Member has suggested, a simple reclassification but rather a consequence of substantive material changes to properties.
	I would add that council tax bandings are overseen by an independent Executive agency, the Valuation Office Agency, which does not receive the New Homes Bonus. Their banding methodology has not changed, and their banding decisions are based on the facts in each case and clear principles laid down in statute and case law.
	We believe many more homes need to be built in this country and November’s Housing Strategy outlines how we will work to deliver this. The New Homes Bonus is fundamentally different from the counter-productive top-down system of the last Administration. The 2007 Housing Green Paper set a Whitehall housing target of 240,000 additional homes a year, yet house building then fell to its lowest peacetime rate since the 1920s.

Housing Benefit

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will estimate the number of public sector workers who are involved in administering housing benefit.

Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
	The Department for Work and Pensions estimates that 20,000 local authority staff work on housing benefit and council tax benefit. The processing of these benefits is largely combined and therefore we do not have an estimate of the number of staff working on each benefit.

Housing: Disability

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what financial assistance from the public purse is available for people with disabilities who need to modify their living accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Stunell: My Department provides funding for the Disabled Facilities Grant, which is a statutory entitlement and helps to fund the provision of adaptations which enable disabled people to live as comfortably and independently as possible in their own homes. DCLG secured £725 million for the grant in the 2010 spending review for the period 2011-12 to 2014-15. In 2011-12 the annual allocation for the grant rose to £180 million, an increase of £11 million compared to the 2010-11 budget of £169 million. The allocation for the grant will increase further to £185 million by the end of the spending review (2014-15). In January 2012 Government invested an extra £20 million for the Disabled Facilities Grant bringing the total grant in 2011-12 to £200 million. The funding is un-ringfenced, which provides local authorities with greater freedom and flexibility in delivering adaptations.

Local Government

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that local authorities achieve procurement benefits from (a) cross-council collaboration, (b) functional mergers and (c) shared services in 2012-15;
	(2)  what the annual third-party procurement expenditure of local authorities situated within the M25 was for each of the last three years; and what plans he has to encourage those authorities to achieve procurement efficiencies in the next three years.

Bob Neill: holding answer 6 February 2012
	In relation to procurement expenditure in 2010-11 for each local authority in England, I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 23 February 2012, Official Report, columns 893-94W.

Local Government: Assets

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the potential liabilities faced by local authorities under the duty to hold a register of community assets; and if his Department will fund any compensation payments incurred by local authorities in this regard.

Andrew Stunell: An assessment of the costs to local authorities, as a result of their duty to maintain a list of community assets, has been completed and will be reflected in payments to local authorities in accordance with the New Burdens doctrine. The Government's New Burdens doctrine is designed so that the Department leading on a policy ensures that any net new burdens are fully and properly funded. The doctrine is supported by collective Cabinet agreement—DCLG works closely with all Whitehall Departments to assess policies and programmes as they are developed. We are committed to meeting the costs to local authorities of administering the Community Right to Bid scheme.

Local Government: Funerals

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the amount spent by local authorities on local authority funerals in (a) the UK and (b) Milton Keynes in each year from 2005 to 2011.

Bob Neill: The information requested is not held centrally.

Planning Permission

George Hollingbery: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how the cost of a referendum on the adoption of a neighbourhood development plan under the Localism Act 2011 will be funded;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost of the inspection of a neighbourhood development plan.

Greg Clark: The Government have committed to providing up to £50 million until March 2015 to support local councils in making neighbourhood planning a success. This includes funding referendums of neighbourhood development plans.

Planning Permission

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to table P121, planning decisions by region, type of authority and speed of decision, what assessment he has made of the factors underlying the increase in time taken to determine planning applications for major and minor development, other than those in the south-west, in July to September 2011 compared with the same three-month period in 2010.

Bob Neill: The Department closely monitors statistics on planning applications. My officials have not made a specific assessment of the factors underlying changes in processing speeds, but are keeping the situation under review and will continue to engage with the local government sector and others in taking forward proposals to simplify and improve the performance of the planning system.
	It is our intention to introduce a new ‘planning guarantee’ to ensure that no planning application should take longer than 12 months to make a decision.

Planning Permission

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department held discussions with stakeholders and business organisations prior to the introduction of the Non-domestic Self-funding Software Validation Service.

Andrew Stunell: The Department has held, and continues to hold, discussions with industry partners about how best to deliver, and maintain, the validation service for software developed by commercial practices for assessing the energy performance of non-domestic buildings. The changes to the Software Validation Service involved no regulatory changes that would, in the normal course of events, require a formal consultation process or impact assessment to be undertaken. However, we continue to hold discussions with industry partners in order to gain a full understanding of the impact of any changes and what more can be done to mitigate them.
	Since the introduction on 25 January, we have said that neither DCLG nor the operator of the energy performance certificate register will introduce any changes for the purposes of complying with Part L of the Building Regulations or for generating energy performance certificates and display energy certificates that would trigger the need for software for non-domestic buildings to undergo validation in 2012. The only exception to this is air conditioning software, which will need to undergo validation prior to the statutory requirement to lodge air conditioning reports onto the non-domestic energy performance certificate register coming into force in April. Air conditioning software providers were advised in October that central funding was no longer available for third party software validation, and that alternative arrangements would be introduced.

Planning Permission: Fees and Charges

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether it is his policy to localise the setting of fees for planning applications; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Clark: We are currently considering the responses to a consultation on this issue, and we will make a statement in due course.

Planning Permission: Finance

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to announce the second year of funding for the Supporting Communities and Neighbourhoods in Planning programme.

Greg Clark: I am currently considering the support needed by communities who wish to engage in planning at a neighbourhood level and will make an announcement shortly.

Planning Permission: Wind Power

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to make productivity of a wind turbine a material consideration in planning decisions.

Bob Neill: holding answer 9 February 2012
	Current planning policy advised that the economics of a proposed development is a matter for the judgment of the applicant. We have no plans to change this principle.

Planning: Finance

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding his Department allocated to community groups to support the development of neighbourhood and local plans in 2011-12; and how much such funding he estimates for 2012-13.

Greg Clark: The Department made available £3.2 million in 2011-12 as part of the Supporting Communities in Neighbourhood Planning programme to enable communities that wish to engage in planning at either the neighbourhood or local level, to access free advice and support. In addition, the neighbourhood planning front runners programme has to date allocated £2.52 million to local authorities to support neighbourhood planning working closely with local communities leading the work. A further round of bids for this funding is under consideration and the outcome will be announced shortly.
	With the commencement of provisions in the Localism Act that enable the Secretary of State to support communities directly we are considering options for funding communities from 2012-13 and will make an announcement in due course.

Planning: Finance

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding his Department allocated to local authorities to support the development of neighbourhood plans in 2011-12; and how much such funding he plans to allocate in 2012-13.

Greg Clark: The Government have committed to providing up to £50 million until March 2015 to support local councils in making neighbourhood planning a success. In 2011-12 the neighbourhood planning front runners programme has, to date, made available £2.52 million to local planning authorities to support the development of neighbourhood plans. A further round of bids has been considered and the outcome will be announced shortly. We are considering funding options for 2012-13 and will make an announcement in due course.

Tenants’ Rights: Landlords

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will assess the merits of encouraging local authorities to carry out housing condition surveys to protect tenants from irresponsible landlords.

Andrew Stunell: Local authorities have powers, under the Housing Act 2004, to assess the risks and hazards in residential properties using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. If a property is found to contain serious (category 1) hazards, the local authority has a duty to take the most appropriate action. This could range from trying to deal with the problems informally at first to prohibiting the use of the whole or part of the dwelling.
	It is in the interests of local authorities to collect information across all housing tenures through housing condition surveys. The Government do not stipulate the precise detail of local housing condition surveys. It is for local authorities to decide the best approach for their area.

Urban Areas

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he proposes that a responsibility to ensure the success of British high streets and town centres will be permanently included within an existing ministerial portfolio of his Department.

Grant Shapps: The Prime Minister has asked me to take responsibility for high streets and town centres. My first task is to deliver the Government's response to the recommendations of the Portas review of the high streets. The response will be published in the spring.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Nick Raynsford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to answer question 92876. [R]

Grant Shapps: holding answer 23 February 2012
	I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave him today (PQ 92876).

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Action for Employment

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what contracts his Department has with A4e; and what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary value of each such contract is.

John Penrose: The Department has no contracts with A4e.

Animation

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate his Department has made of the (a) value to the economy and (b) contribution to the balance of payments of the animation industry.

Edward Vaizey: The animation industry forms part of the creative industries, for which economic estimates are produced annually and can be found at:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/publications/8682.aspx
	Separate estimates are not produced for the animation industry; however, the creative industries as a whole contributed £363 billion in gross value added (GVA) to the UK (or 2.9% of the UK's GVA) in 2009.
	Animation UK produced a report in September 2011 which estimated the animation industry has revenue of £300 million although this figure does not include revenue associated with animation from larger production companies with animation production capabilities, visual effects companies and other animation support services including supplies and studio hire etc.

Arts: Counterfeit Manufacturing

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he has plans to reassess Government policy on piracy and counterfeiting in the arts.

Edward Vaizey: The Intellectual Property crime strategy published in August 2011 sets out the Government's policy for tackling intellectual property crime (piracy and counterfeiting), roles and responsibilities in delivering it, and areas for action. There are no current plans to revise this.

Audio Equipment

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to ensure that wireless microphone equipment surrendered under the Channel 69 programme making and special events funding scheme is not sold to countries where it cannot be legally operated.

Edward Vaizey: Equiniti, the channel 69 funding scheme administrator, is contractually required to obtain Ofcom's approval for the disposal of equipment surrendered to it. Ofcom could withhold its approval if it considered there were inadequate safeguards against future unlawful use.

British Horseracing Authority

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the British Horseracing Authority on use of the whip at the Grand National.

Hugh Robertson: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has not had any detailed discussions with the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) on the use of the whip at the Grand National. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is responsible for animal welfare policy and the Government are satisfied that the BHA, by working with animal welfare organisations, takes the necessary steps to make the Grand National as safe as possible for horses. In 2011, the BHA held comprehensive reviews into the Grand National, and of the use of the whip in horseracing, which each resulted in a number of changes aimed at further strengthening welfare and safety.

Broadband: Shropshire

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to ensure greater broadband access across rural Shropshire.

Edward Vaizey: The Government have committed £530 million during the current spending review period to deliver the best superfast broadband network in Europe and has allocated £8.21 million to Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin to help improve superfast broadband coverage to 90% of premises and standard 2Mpbps for virtually everyone by 2015.
	Broadband Delivery UK is working with the county council on the development of their local broadband plan and procurement to achieve the Government's broadband objectives in Shropshire.

Counterfeit Manufacturing: Trade Agreements

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effects of the implementation of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement on his Department's policies.

Edward Vaizey: The final Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) text has been reviewed by Government lawyers and the European Commission Legal Services who confirm that ACTA will not create new intellectual property rights, laws or criminal offences in the UK or EU. Implementing ACTA will provide EU and UK industry and creators with better protection in overseas markets, through the creation of common enforcement standards and practices and more effective international cooperation.

Counterfeit Manufacturing: Trade Agreements

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether his Department played a role in the drafting of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement.

Edward Vaizey: The UK participation in the negotiation of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement was led by the UK Intellectual Property Office, which co-ordinated views from across Government and reached an agreed Government position. This Department was involved in that process.

Cultural Heritage

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what provisions his Department has put in place to ensure access to nationally important heritage sites in private ownership; and what plans his Department has to maintain access to such sites for members of the public.

John Penrose: Public access to nationally important heritage sites in private ownership is pursued via a number of provisions. For example, the Department provides grant in aid to English Heritage whose repair and conservation grants for privately owned historic buildings come with public access conditions. Equally, the Heritage Lottery Fund often applies similar conditions to its grants as well. Also, a number of privately owned properties are in English Heritage’s care under guardianship arrangements and English Heritage has a responsibility to allow public access to these sites. There are also public access requirements for heritage sites that participate in the Conditional Exemption from Capital Taxes Scheme which is administered by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.
	Heritage open days is the biggest public heritage event in the country, enabling around a million people a year to explore heritage sites, many of which are in private hands and not normally open to the public.

Departmental Senior Civil Servants

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many senior civil servants left his Department and its public bodies in each month since May 2010; what their names are; what the rate of turnover of senior civil servants in his Department was during this period; and if he will make a statement.

John Penrose: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has been shrinking its central staff in line with projections in the Government's comprehensive spending review. Since May 2010, 19 senior civil servants have left the Department and its executive agency, The Royal Parks, as set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Month Number of leavers 
			 2010  
			 October 1 
			   
			 2011  
			 February 1 
			 March 7 
			 April 3 
			 May 2 
			 June 1 
			 July 1 
			 October 1 
		
	
	
		
			 December 1 
			   
			 2012  
			 January 1 
		
	
	The turnover rate in that period was 39.13%.
	The names of individuals cannot be disclosed in accordance with the Data Protection Act.
	Those working for the Department's arm's length bodies are public servants rather than civil servants as they do not work directly for the Crown.

Libraries Act 1964

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether his Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend or annul the Libraries Act 1964; if so, when; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: This Department has no plans at present to amend or annul the Libraries and Museums Act 1964.

Listed Buildings

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what proportion of (a) scheduled monuments and (b) grade 1 listed buildings are in (i) private, (ii) charitable trust, including religious institutions, (iii) National Trust or public and (iv) other forms of ownership.

John Penrose: The information requested is not available. The National Heritage List for England does not record types of ownership for listed buildings or scheduled monuments.

National Lottery

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how the funding to be reimbursed to national lottery distributors will be divided between distributors; over what timescale such funding will be reimbursed; and if he will make a statement.

John Penrose: The national lottery distributors will be reimbursed for their £675 million funding of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games from the receipts of sale of land on the Olympic Park, pro rata to their contribution to the £675 million. The development of the Olympic Park is a long-term programme with land sales due to take place over a period of 25 years. Given the timescale of the development programme and its dependence on market performance, we can not be certain about the timing, but the current estimate from the Olympic Park Legacy Company is that the distributors should start to receive payments in the mid-2020s.

Olympic Games 2012: Royal Yachting Association

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will discuss with the Royal Yachting Association measures to ensure that the activities of media boats do not interfere with competing yachtsmen during events for the London 2012 Olympics held in Dorset.

Hugh Robertson: We have no plans to discuss this matter with the Royal Yachting Association. The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) is the organiser of the London 2012 sailing events, working with the International Federation and the local harbour authorities.
	At the events, experienced LOCOG staff will authorise and manage any media boats that have access to competition areas. Media boats will be staffed by experienced drivers and crews that will receive guidance on course positioning, speed and proximity of media boats to the athletes. A harbour revision order is in place that prevents unauthorised media boats having access.

Olympic Games 2012: Translation Services and Interpreters

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what impact assessment was carried out before awarding a contract for outsourced translation support for the London 2012 Olympics to Applied Language Solutions;
	(2)  what the monetary value is of the contract for outsourced translation support for the London 2012 Olympics with Applied Language Solutions.

Hugh Robertson: Contracting for services and supply of goods to the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) is a matter for LOCOG, a private company operating independently of Government. The Department does not hold details of LOCOG's private procurement.

Olympic Games 2012: Translation Services and Interpreters

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many person-hours of translation support the Department expects to require for the London 2012 Olympics from Applied Language Solutions.

Hugh Robertson: The Department does not hold a contract with Applied Language Solutions (ALS). The London 2012 Organising Committee, a private company operating independently of Government, appointed ALS to provide translation services after advertising the opportunity on CompeteFor and a competitive tender.

Olympic Games 2012: Translation Services and Interpreters

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he had with Secretary of State for Justice on his Department's contract for translation services for the Courts Service with Applied Language Solutions (a) prior to and (b) after awarding a contract to the company for translation services for the Olympics.

Hugh Robertson: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has had no such discussions. The Department does not hold a contract with Applied Language Solutions (ALS). The London 2012 Organising Committee, a private company operating independently of Government, appointed ALS to provide translation services after advertising the opportunity on CompeteFor and a competitive tender.

Olympic Games 2012: Translation Services and Interpreters

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with alternative providers of translation services on contingency provision for the London 2012 Olympics for translation support to be provided by Applied Language Solutions; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: The London 2012 Organising Company (LOCOG), a private company operating independently of Government, appointed Applied Language Solutions to provide translation services after a competitive tender. LOCOG appoints suppliers after a rigorous tender process and is confident that they will deliver the services it has procured. The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has had no such discussions.

Olympic Games 2012: Translation Services and Interpreters

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he has taken to make alternative arrangements for translation services for the London 2012 Olympic games in the event that Applied Language Solutions does not provide required services in accordance with its contract; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: Contracting for services and supply of goods to the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) is a matter for LOCOG, a private company operating independently of Government. LOCOG appoints its suppliers after a rigorous tender process and is confident that they will deliver the services they have procured.

Public Libraries

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what progress has been made by his Department in introducing a national library card.

Edward Vaizey: This Department, together with the Department for Education, is considering the options for a national library card in the context of other offers already available.

S4C

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department has taken to promote participation in the consultation on S4C's governance arrangements; and for what reason a written ministerial statement was not made on the consultation.

Edward Vaizey: On 1 February the Department opened a public consultation on proposals to amend S4C's governance arrangements. The consultation is open until 4 May 2012. I did not make a written ministerial statement on this as the consultation is publicly available online at:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/consultations
	and my officials informed more than 50 key stakeholders in Parliament by email when the consultation was published.

Telecommunications

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent discussions his Department has had with BT on the roll-out of fibre to the cabinet in the north west; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential benefits of this technology to small and medium-size businesses.

Edward Vaizey: BT are bidding to be on the Broadband Delivery UK delivery framework and discussions have taken place within the dialogue process about a range of issues, with respect to the roll-out superfast broadband across the UK.
	The economic impact of broadband was considered when developing the Government's broadband objectives. For example, how the take up and effective use of broadband can help firms develop and adopt more productive and efficient ways of working. Also that it makes it quicker, cheaper and easier for businesses to communicate and exchange information with their suppliers and customers.
	It is therefore anticipated that superfast broadband will enable small and medium enterprises to reach national and international markets which may not have been previously possible due to high barriers to entry.

Telecommunications

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when he plans to publish the Communications Act Green Paper; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: The Communications Review Green Paper will set out the Government’s approach to delivering a highly successful communications sector in the digital age. It will be published shortly.

Telecommunications: Sign Language

Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent representations he has received from (a) Virgin Media, (b) Vodafone, (c) BT, (d) Kingston Communications and (e) 3 on the video relay service for British Sign Language users.

Edward Vaizey: The Department has received an update from BT about the Video Relay Service pilot it has recently introduced for its British Sign Language (BSL) customers.
	Correspondence has also been received from Virgin Media, Vodafone and Kingston Communications on next steps following the roundtable discussions that were held in autumn 2011 with industry and BSL representatives.

Telecommunications: Sign Language

Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent representations he has received from (a) BSkyB, (b) O2 and (c) Everything Everywhere on the video relay service for British Sign Language users.

Edward Vaizey: This Department has received correspondence from BskyB, O2 and Everything Everywhere on next steps following the roundtable discussions that were held in autumn 2011 with industry and British Sign Language representatives.

Telephone Calls

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will take steps to stop unsolicited marketing calls to individuals who may have been involved in a traffic accident.

Edward Vaizey: Registering with the Telephone Preference Scheme (TPS) protects individuals from unsolicited marketing calls. The free service is provided for under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR). Companies making unsolicited marketing calls are legally required not to call a number that is registered with the TPS and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) can issue a fine of up to £500,000 for the most serious breaches of the regulations. The PECR also prohibits businesses from marketing to individuals via text message, unless prior consent has been obtained.
	In addition, there are rules in place through the Claims Management Regulator (CMR), which is overseen by the Ministry of Justice. The CMR can take action, including suspending or cancelling a claims management company's licence, if they breach the regulations or the conduct rules. Also, the CMR is part of a cross industry working group, set up to tackle the use of unsolicited calls and text messages, which seek to generate claims. Members of the group include telecoms providers, the ICO, the Direct Marketing Association and Ofcom. The group shares information and works together to enforce the respective rules and regulations.

Third Sector

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department has taken to implement the principles of the Best Value Statutory Guidance in respect of (a) giving at least three months' notice to voluntary and community organisations and their service users when reducing or ending funding, (b) engaging with voluntary and community organisations and service users as early as possible before making a decision on the future of the service, any knock-on effects on assets used to provide this service and the wider impact on the local community and (c) making provision for voluntary and community organisations and service users to put forward options on how to reshape the service or project.

John Penrose: The Best Value guidance does not legally apply to central Government Departments or their executive agencies. However, as the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), made clear in his foreword to the revised Best Value guidance, central Government Departments support the fair standards set out in the guidance and have reaffirmed their commitment to the national Compact.
	In January the National Audit Office published ‘Central Government's implementation of the national Compact’, a report which provides commentary on the implementation of the national Compact across Government. The Department for Communities and Local Government participated fully in the National Audit Office's review of the national Compact implementation and will be following up as appropriate the recommendations within the National Audit Office report in order to ensure that the Department continues to be a strong model of collaborative working between Government and the voluntary sector.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Burma

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he proposes that the proportion of cross-border aid allocated by his Department to Burma will increase in line with his Department's overall increase of aid to that country.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) is undertaking a comprehensive review of its last three years' assistance to conflict affected peoples in eastern Burma and Thailand, including aid delivered in refugee camps in Thailand and from Thailand over the border into Burma. This will include a full review of results achieved so far, how effective we have been at meeting programme objectives and whether the way that Britain is delivering its aid is providing good value for money. The review will help inform decisions on DFID's future programme of support for people affected by the conflict in Eastern Burma, including overall funding levels and funding for cross-border aid. DFID remains fully committed to providing humanitarian aid to people affected by conflict in eastern Burma, through whichever channels are best suited to reaching particularly vulnerable populations. The coalition Government has increased significantly our development work in Burma and on the borders.

Burma

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department has approved support to the Thailand Burma Border Consortium to assist with financial problems caused by rising food prices, changing currency rates and the withdrawal of funding by the European Commission.

Andrew Mitchell: Funding of our development programme has increased significantly under this Government. The Department for International Development (DFID) supports the Thai Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) to provide food and shelter for the refugees in the camps and for internally displaced people (IDPs) inside Burma with funding of around £1.1 million per year for the last three years. DFID is currently reviewing our overall programme of support to IDPs and refugees along the Thai/Burma border, including funding for the TBBC. The results of the review, our assessment of the level of need and the impact of rising food prices, exchange rate fluctuation and contributions from other donors will inform my decision over future funding. DFID remains fully committed to providing humanitarian aid to Burmese refugees in Thailand and people affected by conflict in eastern Burma, and encourages the European Commission and other donors to maintain their support.

Burma

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the level of access being given to the United Nations and other agencies operating in Burma in order to allow them to assist civilians in Kachin State.

Andrew Mitchell: There is an urgent need for an increased level of access to be granted to the United Nations and other agencies operating in Burma to assist civilians in Kachin State. The UK is supporting NGOs which are providing assistance to 27,500 internally displaced people (IDP) in Kachin State over the next four months. The United Nations (UN) delivered 800 family kits containing basic items to internally-displaced people in areas of Kachin controlled by the Kachin Independence Organisation last December, and have been able to provide a limited range of goods to IDPs in other areas. More frequent access to all areas of Kachin and other conflict affected States is needed.
	During our recent visits to Burma, both the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and I pressed the Burmese President and his Ministers to move urgently towards a resolution to the ethnic conflicts in Burma and to increase humanitarian access in border areas, including in Kachin State and it is an issue repeatedly raised by the British ambassador, the UN and others at the highest levels. Some progress is clearly being made.

Burma

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the levels of child malnutrition in refugee camps on the border between Thailand and Burma; and what assessment he has made of the likely effects of changes to rations in such camps on such malnutrition.

Andrew Mitchell: Department for International Development (DFID) officials have regular discussions with the Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC), including on the recent changes to the nutrition programme within the refugee camps in Thailand which they run. Preliminary results from nutrition surveys conducted in 2011 indicate that the average Global Acute Malnutrition rates in children between six months and five years of age across the nine refugee camps in Thailand stood at 2.3%, using Centre for Disease Control reference rates. This is below World Health Organisation rates of concern. DFID is carefully monitoring the ration changes which are being implemented by TBBC in 2012, including ensuring the most vulnerable people receive the rations they need.

Burma

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid supplies the UN was allowed to deliver to internally-displaced people in Kachin State, Burma, in areas under the control of the Kachin Independence Organisation on 10 December 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: The United Nations (UN) delivered 800 family kits containing items relating to shelter and hygiene and sanitation to internally-displaced people in Kachin State, Burma, in areas under the control of the Kachin Independence Organisation between 12 and 14 December 2011.
	There is an urgent need for an increased level of access to be granted to the UN and other agencies operating in Burma to assist civilians in Kachin State. During recent visits to Burma, both the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for International Development pressed the Burmese President and his Ministers to move urgently towards a resolution to the ethnic conflicts in Burma through an inclusive process of political dialogue and national reconciliation, and to increase humanitarian access in border areas, including in Kachin State.

Burma

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department has provided to assist internally-displaced people in Kachin State, Burma, in areas not controlled by the Government of Burma; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development has recently approved funding of just under £1 million to assist internally displaced people in Kachin State, Burma in areas not controlled by the Government of Burma. This funding will help alleviate the suffering of 22,400 displaced women, children and men through the provision of humanitarian assistance in the areas of food security, shelter, water, sanitation, health and bedding.

Burma

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of internally-displaced people in Kachin State, Burma; how many internally-displaced people are in areas controlled by the Government of Burma; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: The United Nations estimate that there are approximately 49,000 internally-displaced people (IDPs) from Kachin State in Burma, of which approximately 18,000 are in government controlled areas. There is an urgent need for an increased level of access to be granted to the UN and other agencies operating in Burma to assist civilians in Kachin State. During recent visits to Burma, both the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for International Development pressed the Burmese President and his Ministers to move urgently towards a resolution to the ethnic conflicts in Burma through an inclusive process of political dialogue and national reconciliation, and to increase humanitarian access in border areas, including in Kachin State.

Burma

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much new funding his Department has provided to Health Poverty Action to assist internally displaced people in Kachin State, Burma in the last year; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development approved £475,000 of new funding to Health Poverty Action to assist internally displaced people in Kachin State, Burma in January 2012. This funding will alleviate the suffering of 13,000 displaced women, children and men in Kachin through the provision of food, shelter and basic health supplies.

Central America: HIV Infection

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to tackle HIV/AIDS in Central American Integration System member states.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) is helping to reduce the stigma and discrimination faced by people living with HIV and AIDS in Belize through a regional programme implemented by the Pan Caribbean Programme Against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP). Between 2003 and 2009, DFID also provided support to the Central American Secretariat for Social Integration for their efforts to tackle HIV/AIDS across central America.

Departmental Senior Civil Servants

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many senior civil servants left his Department and its public bodies in each month since May 2010; what their names are; what the rate of turnover of senior civil servants in his Department was during this period; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: Since May 2010, 28 senior civil servants (SCS) have left the Department for International Development (DFID). Of these:
	17 left through voluntary redundancy;
	three retired; and
	eight resigned to take up other posts or left at the end of inward secondments.
	The number of leavers by month is summarised below:
	
		
			  Number 
			 2010  
			 May — 
			 June 1 
			 July 1 
			 August — 
			 September 14 
			 October 4 
			 November — 
			 December — 
			   
			 2011  
			 January 1 
			 February — 
			 March — 
			 April — 
			 May 1 
			 June — 
			 July — 
			 August 2 
			 September — 
			 October 1 
			 November 1 
			 December 1 
			   
		
	
	
		
			 2012  
			 January 1 
			 February — 
		
	
	The above departures represent a turnover of 32%(1).
	In 2009 the Cabinet Office directed all Departments to reduce SCS costs by 20% in a bid to save at least £100 million per year by 2013.
	The 17 DFID voluntary redundancies were part of a planned change programme to restructure our SCS and reduce its size and costs.
	Between May 2010 and January 2012 we reduced the size of our SCS from 100 posts to 81 posts.
	It is not appropriate to list SCS employees by name.
	(1 )Using an average of the number of SCS employed at 1 May 2010 and at 31 January 2012.

Developing Countries: Employment

Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to provide women in developing countries with more opportunities to work.

Stephen O'Brien: The UK's Department for International Development is developing and implementing programmes across a number of our focus countries in the developing world, including Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Malawi, Nepal, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Vietnam, to provide women in developing countries with more opportunities to work. These interventions predominantly focus on:
	improving access to finance and other economic resources for women and enterprises that create jobs for women;
	improving security of property rights;
	providing education and training to improve employment prospects;
	removing discriminatory legal and regulatory barriers to women's employment;
	investing in infrastructure which can free up women's time.

Developing Countries: Employment

Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many jobs his Department has created in developing countries since May 2010.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) is developing/implementing programmes across a number of our focus countries e.g. Bangladesh, Nigeria and Pakistan which aim to create employment and other economic opportunities for poor people. It is not possible to say precisely how many jobs have been created since May 2010 because results are reported on the basis of periodic reviews and evaluations which are not yet available.
	DFID country offices also choose definitions/indicators of job creation appropriate to the local context. We are currently working with other donors such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to develop improved methods for measuring job creation.

Ex-servicemen

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will encourage service men and women leaving the armed forces to apply for suitable vacancies in his Department.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) would encourage any former service man or woman to apply for suitable vacancies in DFID. We are fortunate to already have a number of ex-service men and women in DFID roles ranging from Information Technology to Conflict Adviser positions.
	All DFID vacancies are advertised on our website and in the national press, specialist journals or specialist websites.

Nigeria

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Mid Derbyshire of 10 March 2011, Official Report, column 1286W, on Nigeria: corruption, how much funding his Department allocated to the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crime Commission in 2011; what the reason was for the decrease in funding between 2009 and 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Mitchell: Support to Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) totalled £45,000 in 2009, £5,000 in 2010 and £100,000 in 2011. The main reason for the drop in 2010 was the completion of the "Security, Justice and Growth" programme in March 2010. The successor programme, "Justice for All" started in November 2010.

Overseas Aid

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department (a) allocated and (b) disbursed for (i) agriculture and (ii) food security through (A) bilateral expenditure, (B) multilateral contributions and (C) research in each of the last five years; and how much such funding his Department plans to disburse in each of the next three years.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not disaggregate spend on agriculture and food security as there is considerable overlap between these areas. In 2009, the UK agreed to contribute £1.1 billion over three years in support of the Aquila Food Security Initiative (AFSI). In 2009-10 and 2010-11, DFID disbursed £445 million and £502 million, respectively, against its AFSI commitment. The figure for 2011-12 is not yet available.
	In the four financial years between 2007-08 and 2010-11, DFID's total multilateral contribution to the three Rome based agencies who work on food security—the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)—was £63.3 million, £144.3 million, £121.9 million and £141.2 million.
	Between 2007-08 and 2010-11, DFID's agricultural research budget was £38 million, £42 million; £65 million; and £67 million. The equivalent figure for 2011-12 is expected to be approximately £87 million. This has funded a wide range of projects, including crop research by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural. Research (CGIAR), a consortium of international agricultural research centres. CGIAR rice and maize breeding is attributed with lifting 2 million people out of poverty per year in India and 740,000 per year in Africa.
	DFID published the results of its Aid Reviews in March 2011, setting out its priorities and expected results over the period of the comprehensive spending review. Over the next three years, DFID will provide support to agriculture, food security and nutrition in developing countries in order to stop 20 million more children going hungry and to ensure another 4 million people have enough food throughout the year.

Private Education

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff in his Department were in receipt of the continuity of education allowance in 2010-11; and what the cost to his Department was in respect of staff based (i) in the UK and (ii) overseas in each year.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) reimburses employees on overseas postings for private schooling overseas or boarding school fees in the UK for their children, within financial ceilings.
	The information provided is based on centrally held information relating to education continuity payments to Home Civil Service staff and does not include school fees paid locally by DFID overseas offices.
	In financial year 2010-11, 47 members of DFID's staff on overseas postings received education continuity payments at a total cost of £1,061,307. Five of these 47 employees, returned to the UK but had continuing entitlement to education payments at a cost of £96,374.

Sri Lanka

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether staff of his Department have visited political prisoners in Sri Lanka.

Alan Duncan: Department for International Development (DFID) staff have not visited political prisoners in Sri Lanka. The bilateral DFID programme in Sri Lanka closed in 2006 and no DFID staff are based in Sri Lanka.

Turks and Caicos Islands

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department has provided to the Turks and Caicos Islands in the last 12 months.

Alan Duncan: From February 2011 to January 2012, the Department of International Development (DFID) provided £1.7 million in technical assistance to the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). This paid for the costs of a range of technical expertise, including a chief financial officer, to help the TCI Government (TCIG) address their structural deficit designed to put them on a course towards a sustainable fiscal surplus in the financial year 2012-13.
	In February 2011, DFID arranged a HM Treasury guarantee to provide TCIG with access to a commercial borrowing of up to US$260 million over the following five years.

Turks and Caicos Islands

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many of his officials are stationed in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not have any DFID officials stationed in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

TREASURY

Bankruptcy

Mark Durkan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) petitions for bankruptcy were filed and (b) winding up orders were issued by HM Revenue and Customs against businesses in (i) Northern Ireland, (ii) Scotland and (iii) England and Wales in each of the last four years.

David Gauke: holding answer 19 December 2011
	HMRC does not aim to have companies wound up, or individuals made bankrupt, but rather to collect debts that are due from those who have chosen not to pay over the tax that is needed to fund vital public services in the United Kingdom. HMRC only initiates winding up or bankruptcy action where it believes this really is the best course of action to protect the interests of the Exchequer.
	Neither HMRC, nor any other creditor, winds up companies or makes individuals bankrupt. Winding up and bankruptcy orders are made by the courts.
	Information on the number of bankruptcy petitions and winding up orders granted in the last four years is shown in the following tables:
	
		
			 England and Wales 
			  Winding up orders granted Bankruptcy orders granted 
			 2007-08 2,933 3,806 
			 2008-09 2,972 4,231 
			 2009-10 2,166 3,991 
			 2010-11 1,901 2,802 
		
	
	
		
			 Scotland 
			  Winding up orders granted Sequestration awards 
			 2007-08 180 1,070 
			 2008-09 193 846 
			 2009-10 285 828 
			 2010-11 384 632 
		
	
	
		
			 Northern Ireland 
			  Winding up orders granted 
			 2007-08 (1)— 
			 2008-09 69 
			 2009-10 75 
			 2010-11 107 
			 (1 )No information available.

Business Links

Toby Perkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what (a) estimate he has made of the number of visits to and (b) assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Business Link website since November 2011.

David Gauke: Visits to the Business Link website have increased year on year since it was first launched in 2005. Between 1 November 2011 and 31 January 2012, some 5.9 million visits have been made to the site—an increase of 25% in comparison with the same period last year.
	The effectiveness of the website is assessed in a number of ways—for example, by comparing results for 1 November 2011 to 31 January 2012 with the same period last year, return visits to the site have increased by nearly 50% and the number of people registering to access enhanced services has risen by over 75%.
	The most recent customer survey, which took place in October 2011, demonstrated that overall customer satisfaction with the service remains at over 90%. There is no evidence to suggest that customer satisfaction has decreased since this survey was done.

Child Benefit

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how much child benefit was paid to households with (a) a higher rate taxpayer and (b) an additional rate taxpayer for (i) one child, (ii) two children, (iii) three children, (iv) four children and (v) five or more children in (A) Chatham and Aylesford constituency and (B) the UK in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many households with (a) a higher rate taxpayer and (b) an additional rate taxpayer were in receipt of child benefit for (i) one child, (ii) two children, (iii) three children, (iv) four children and (v) five or more children in (A) Chatham and Aylesford constituency and (B) the UK in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Gauke: We have made no estimate of the number of families with a higher rate taxpayer in the current child benefit population. However, we have forecast that the number of households in 2013-14 with a higher rate taxpayer will be 1.5 million. We estimate that £2,420 million pounds in child benefit would have been paid to these families if the policy, announced in the spending review 2010, to remove child benefit from higher rate taxpayers was not implemented. This information is published at:
	http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/sr2010_policycostings.pdf
	Estimates of total payment or number of households broken down by additional rate tax-payers, and numbers of children in household would be available only at disproportionate cost. Estimates broken down by constituency are not available.

Children

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of children living in households with (a) an additional rate taxpayer and (b) a higher rate taxpayer.

David Gauke: This information is not available.

Council Tax

Nick Raynsford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many homes in council tax bands D to H were deregistered from the council tax register in each local authority in England in each of the last three years. [R]

David Gauke: A copy of the requested information has been placed in the Library.

Credit Cards: Surcharges

Caroline Nokes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which public sector bodies levy surcharges on customers making payments by credit card; and at what rates any such charges are levied.

Mark Hoban: Guidance on fees and charges for publicly provided services is set out in HM Treasury's publication ‘Managing Public Money’. This guidance makes clear that, where charges are made, the norm is for public sector bodies to charge at full cost. As part of full cost recovery, public sector bodies only recover the costs they incur for the use of credit cards for payments with no levy in excess of that reasonable charge.
	This is an example of best practice and Government are taking action to ensure this is extended across private sector businesses. Therefore on 23 December 2011 I announced that Government will take action to tackle excessive card surcharges and will consult on draft legislation later this year.
	A copy of my letter to the Director General of the Office of Fair Trading setting out the details has been laid in the Library of the House.

Crown Estate Commissioners: Manufacturing Industries

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Crown Estate (a) has any assets and (b) receives any income from manufacturing and advanced engineering business activity; and if he will make a statement.

Chloe Smith: The Crown Estate Act 1961 allows the Crown Estate to hold only land, real property and cash. The Crown Estate holds no manufacturing or engineering assets and receives no direct income from businesses of these kinds. The Crown Estate receives rents from some tenants which operate in these fields, eg wind farms.

Crown Estate: Finance

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has held on allowing profits from the Crown Estate's marine assets to be provided directly to devolved Administrations to allow them to determine their own spending priorities.

Chloe Smith: No such discussions have taken place.

Economic Situation: Greece

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely cost to the Government of any Greek default.

Mark Hoban: The existing package of financial assistance for Greece, worth €110 billion over three years, was agreed in May 2010. This comprises an IMF Stand-By Arrangement of €30 billion and a package of bilateral loans from euro area member states of €80 billion. A total of €73 billion (of which €20.1 billion has come from the IMF) has been disbursed to date.
	There was no contribution either from the EU budget or from the European Financial Stabilisation Mechanism (EFSM), which is backed by the EU budget. Therefore the UK's exposure to Greece's financial assistance package is through the IMF alone.
	The broad terms of a second package of assistance were agreed by euro area finance ministers on 21 February 2012, including a 53.5% face-value reduction on existing Greek bonds as part of an offer being made, by the Greek Government, to private sector bond holders. The final size of the package is yet to be determined, and will be decided once the private sector's participation is known and Greece has implemented a set of agreed prior actions. There has been no formal decision on an IMF contribution to the second package.
	The UK lends to the IMF as an institution and not to particular programmes; therefore it is not possible to provide an exact estimate of the UK's contribution to individual IMF programmes. As a rough estimate we would expect the UK's exposure to overall IMF lending to be in line with its quota share of 4.5%. However, the IMF has preferred creditor status and no country has ever lost money lending to the IMF.

Housing Benefit

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of cancelling contracts with the private sector for the delivery of housing benefit when universal credit is introduced.

Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
	I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Westminster North (Ms Buck) on 25 November 2011, Official Report, column 640W.

Mortgages: Legal Opinion

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any plans to bring forward proposals to end the practice of mortgage lenders using selected panels of preferred or prescribed conveyancers for legal advice during property purchases.

Mark Hoban: The Government are aware that several banks have recently made changes to the membership of their conveyancing panels.
	Commercial decisions remain a matter for the boards of banks and building societies, and the Government do not seek to intervene in these decisions.

National Income

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will adopt policies to create greater equality in gross value added between different countries and regions of the UK.

Chloe Smith: Economic development policy is devolved.
	In England the Government are supporting regional growth by introducing 24 new Enterprise Zones where all business rates will be retained by Local Enterprise Partnerships for re-investment; making 100% capital allowances available in six Enterprise Zones; allocating £1.4 billion of investment through the Regional Growth Fund (with a further £1 billion allocated by the Chancellor at the autumn statement); and providing £500 million to Local Enterprise Partnerships through the Growth Places Fund.
	In addition, the Local Government Resource Review creates an incentive for localities to grow their business rates base, and provides greater rewards to those areas with low tax bases compared to their communities’ current needs.

National Insurance

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered linking the IT systems at each HM Revenue and Customs tax office to enable an individual to be linked and traced via their national insurance number.

David Gauke: HMRC already uses the national insurance number to record details about individuals. In June 2009 HMRC's Modernisation of PAYE Processing Programme removed the last elements of the Department's dependency on 12 unlinked regional databases containing PAYE data. Since then HMRC's staff in all of its offices dealing with individuals have, had the ability to link and trace people via national insurance numbers.

National Insurance: Pensioners

Therese Coffey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how much employers' national insurance was received in respect of employees who were pensioners in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11;
	(2)  how much employers' national insurance was received in respect of employees who were pensioners in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11.

David Gauke: The amount of employer's national insurance contributions payable in respect of individuals over state pension age was £1.7 billion in 2009-10. Estimates are based on a 1% sample of NICs and PAYE service data.
	Figures for 2010-11 are not available.

National Insurance: Scotland

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will estimate the number of businesses that have participated in the national insurance holiday scheme in (a) Scotland, (b) each local authority area in Scotland and (c) each parliamentary constituency in Scotland in each month since its inception;
	(2)  if he will estimate the number of jobs created in (a) Scotland, (b) each local authority area in Scotland and (c) each parliamentary constituency in Scotland as a result of the national insurance holiday scheme in each month since its inception;
	(3)  what his most recent estimate is of the amount of national insurance revenue foregone in (a) Scotland, (b) each local authority area in Scotland and (c) each parliamentary constituency in Scotland as a result of the national insurance holiday scheme, in each year since its inception;
	(4)  if he will estimate the net change in tax revenues per job created in (a) Scotland, (b) each local authority area in Scotland and (c) each parliamentary constituency in Scotland as a result of the national insurance holiday scheme in each year since its inception.

David Gauke: A breakdown of the number of jobs that have been supported by the NICs holiday, by region and constituency, was provided in a NICs Holiday Factsheet that was made available to the House by way of a written ministerial statement on 15 December 2011, Official Report, column 107WS.
	The figures pertain to the period 6 September 2010 to 21 November 2011, comprising only those employers who submitted a NICs holiday end-of-year return for 2010-11.
	The number of eligible employers in Scotland claiming NICs holiday is 479 (Table 3.1 of Factsheet).
	The number of jobs in Scotland that have been supported by the holiday is 1,646 (Table 4.1).
	The total amount claimed by eligible employers in Scotland is £930,000 (Table 4.1).
	The amount claimed per job supported in Scotland is £565 (using the above figures from Table 4.1).
	Breakdowns by parliamentary constituency in Scotland are found in Tables 3.2 and 4.2 of the Factsheet. A breakdown by local authority area is not available.

Nature Improvement Areas

Neil Parish: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers and (c) officials of his Department have had with (i) the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and (ii) others on the development and implementation of Nature Improvement Areas.

Chloe Smith: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
	The Treasury publishes a list of ministerial meetings with external organisations, available at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm

Pay

Kate Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of (a) men and (b) women whose income per annum in 2010-11 was (a) less that £7,475, (b) between £7,475 and £8,105, (c) between £8,105 and £20,000, (d) between £20,000 and £30,000, (e) between £30,000 and £40,000, (f) between £40,000 and £50,000, (g) between £50,000 and £60,000, (h) between £60,000 and £70,000, (i) between £70,000 and £80,000, (j) between £80,000 and £90,000, (k) between £90,000 and £100,000 and (l) over £100,000.

David Gauke: The information requested is provided in the following table:
	
		
			 2010-11 taxpayers 
			  Gender 
			 Total income Male Female 
			 Up to £7,474 389 516 
			 £7,475 to £8,104 256 372 
			 £8,105 to £19,999 6,490 7,070 
			 £20,000 to £29,999 4,260 2,650 
			 £30,000 to £39,999 2,560 1,290 
			 £40,000 to £49,999 1,280 559 
			 £50,000 to £59,999 705 242 
			 £60,000 to £69,999 383 118 
			 £70,000 to £79,999 253 67 
			 £80,000 to £89,999 162 44 
			 £90,000 to £99,999 116 32 
			 £100,000 and over 559 113 
			 Total 17,400 13,100 
		
	
	Numbers are in thousands and are rounded to three significant figures. As a result the totals will not equal the sum of the component figures.
	The estimates relate to income taxpayers only. HMRC does not hold complete information on the incomes of individuals who do not pay income tax. They are consistent with Table 2.5, available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/table2-5.pdf
	These estimates are based on the 2007-08 Survey of Personal Incomes, projected using economic assumptions consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2011 economic and fiscal outlook.

Public Expenditure: Scotland

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with Ministers in the Scottish Government on the status of arrangements for exercise of the revenue and capital borrowing powers proposed in the Scotland Bill.

Danny Alexander: Ministers from HMG have regular discussions with Ministers from the Scottish Government on the Scotland Bill. Following recommendations made by the Calman commission, a new cross-Administration Committee, the Joint Exchequer Committee, has been established which will discuss the implementation of the Scotland Bill's powers, including the operation of its borrowing provisions.

Rangers Football Club: Taxation

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions HM Revenue and Customs have had with the Scottish Government on Rangers Football Club.

David Gauke: Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officials are under a statutory duty to maintain taxpayer confidentiality and so are unable to provide an answer to this question.

Revenue and Customs: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the hon. Member for Walsall North will receive a reply to his letter of 23 January 2012 to the Chief Executive, HM Revenue and Customs, about a constituent, ref: 193995 1201 1645.

David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs have now replied to the hon. Member. They apologise for the delay.

Student Loans Company: Pay

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will publish (a) the internal policy guidelines used by HM Revenue and Customs in respect of its taxation of private firms and individuals, (b) any variations to this policy and (c) the position and grade of the officials who signed off any such variation;
	(2)  if he will publish (a) HM Revenue and Customs internal policy guidelines used to assess the taxation of any payments made by the Student Loans Company, (b) the position and grade of any official who authorised a change to the internal guidelines used and (c) when any variation was made.

David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs does not have any internal policy guidelines in respect of taxation of private firms or specifically in respect of the Student Loans Company.
	HM Revenue and Customs guidance can be accessed on the internet at:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk

Taxation: Animation and Research

Mark Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was paid in tax by the animation sector in the most recent year for which figures are available.

David Gauke: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Taxation: Company Cars

David Morris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to reduce taxation on company cars.

Chloe Smith: Company car tax rates are announced at least two years in advance of implementation. The Chancellor keeps all taxes under review along Budget timelines and will give the Budget 2012 statement on 21 March.

VAT: Electronic Publishing

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with HM Revenue and Customs about extending the VAT exemption for books to e-books.

David Gauke: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given on 12 December 2011, Official Report, column 539W.

Working Tax Credit

David Crausby: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will undertake an impact assessment of the effect on families who cannot undertake extra working hours each week of his proposed changes to working tax credit.

David Gauke: The measure that the hon. Member refers to in his question is part of a range of reforms to the tax credits system announced at the spending review.
	Estimating the number of households impacted by an individual measure does not give a clear indication of the full monetary impact on an individual household.
	The Government published estimates of the distributional impact of the packages of announced tax and benefit measures which can be found at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/junebudget_annexa.pdf
	http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/sr2010_annexb.pdf

Working Tax Credit: Wales

Nia Griffith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many couples with children there are in each constituency in Wales who work between 16 and 24 hours a week and who will lose entitlement to working tax credit unless they increase their hours of work to over 24 hours a week.

David Gauke: holding answer 5 December 2011
	The following table provides the number of in-work couples reporting between 16 and 23 hours per week, for each constituency in Wales, as at April 2011.
	
		
			 Constituency Number of households affected ( T housand) 
			 Ynys Môn 0.2 
			 Delyn 0.1 
			 Alyn and Deeside 0.2 
			 Wrexham 0.2 
			 Llanelli 0.3 
			 Gower 0.2 
			 Swansea West 0.4 
			 Swansea East 0.4 
			 Aberavon 0.2 
			 Cardiff Central 0.3 
			 Cardiff North 0.2 
			 Rhondda 0.2 
		
	
	
		
			 Torfaen 0.2 
			 Monmouth 0.2 
			 Newport East 0.3 
			 Newport West 0.4 
			 Arfon 0.1 
			 Aberconwy 0.2 
			 Clwyd West 0.2 
			 Vale of Clwyd 0.2 
			 Dwyfor Meirionnydd 0.2 
			 Clwyd South 0.2 
			 Montgomeryshire 0.1 
			 Ceredigion 0.2 
			 Preseli Pembrokeshire 0.3 
			 Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire 0.2 
			 Carmarthen East and Dinefwr 0.2 
			 Brecon and Radnorshire 0.1 
			 Neath 0.2 
			 Cynon Valley 0.2 
			 Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney 0.3 
			 Blaenau Gwent 0.3 
			 Bridgend 0.2 
			 Ogmore 0.3 
			 Pontypridd 0.2 
			 Caerphilly 0.3 
			 Islwyn 0.2 
			 Vale of Glamorgan 0.3 
			 Cardiff West 0.4 
			 Cardiff South and Penarth 0.5 
			 Wales total 9.4 
		
	
	Although the figures show the number of households who stand to lose their entitlement to working tax credit post-April 2012, the overall change in their entitlement (including child tax credit) is unclear, as the change to working tax credit eligibility for couples with children was part of a wider package of measures announced at Spending Review 2010.
	Therefore these figures are not necessarily representative of the number of households who will see their entitlement fall as a result of the measure.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to answer Question 94602 tabled by the hon. Member for Leeds West for answer on 8 February 2012.

Danny Alexander: I have now replied to the hon. Member.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Constituencies

David Anderson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions the Boundary Commission for England has had on its decision not to publish hard copies of the representations it received in the initial stages of its consultation on changing parliamentary constituency boundaries in England.

Mark Harper: This is a matter for the independent Boundary Commission for England. The background to this decision was set out by the Boundary Commission in the newsletter posted on its website on 1 February 2012. This can be accessed at:
	http://bit.ly/AxQhfo

Elections: Fraud

Lee Scott: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to (a) prevent and (b) detect fraudulent (i) entries on the electoral roll and (ii) postal voting in the forthcoming London Mayoral and London Assembly elections; and to which public bodies he plans to devolve such responsibilities.

Mark Harper: Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) in each of the London boroughs have a statutory duty to ensure that the register for the forthcoming London Mayoral and Greater London Assembly elections is accurate and complete. In taking forward this duty EROs have a number of mechanisms to help prevent and detect fraudulent entries on the electoral roll. Any specific allegations should be referred to the police and investigated thoroughly.
	Any individuals who apply to vote by post for the London Mayoral and Greater London Assembly elections (as for other elections) will have to provide personal identifiers (their signature and date of birth) which are checked against corresponding identifiers on the statement which voters must submit alongside their ballot paper.
	The Government take any electoral fraud very seriously and regard the integrity of the ballot as a top priority. There is no evidence that fraud is widespread on a national level, but any instance of electoral fraud is serious and we will continue to work with the Electoral Commission, police, political parties, EROs and returning officers to raise awareness and strengthen systems, to ensure that fraud is detected and prosecuted and to draw attention to existing best practice.

CABINET OFFICE

Cancer: North West

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people died from cancer in (a) England, (b) Leeds and (c) Leeds North West constituency in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated February 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many people died from cancer in (a) England, (b) Leeds and (c) Leeds North West constituency in each of the last five years.
	Table 1 as follows shows the number of deaths where cancer was the underlying cause for England, the local authority of Leeds and the Leeds North West parliamentary constituency for 2006 to 2010 (the latest year available).
	Figures on cancer incidence and mortality in the United Kingdom and constituent countries are published annually and are available here:
	www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/all-releases.html?definition=tcm%3A77-21518
	
		
			 Table 1 :  Number of deaths where cancer was the underlying cause of death, England, Leeds local authority and Leeds North West parliamentary constituency 2006-10 (1, 2, 3) 
			 Deaths (persons) 
			  2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 
			 England 126,779 127,719 128,802 128,549 129,523 
			 Leeds local authority 1,827 1,911 1,864 1,742 1,855 
			 Leeds North West parliamentary constituency 173 182 187 147 205 
			 (1) Cancer is defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD 10) using codes C00-C97. (2) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year and exclude deaths of non-residents. (3) Figures are based on boundaries as of November 2011.

Departmental Data Protection

David Davis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many cases of data loss or breaches of confidentiality which did not require notification to the Information Commissioner's Office occurred in his Department in 2011.

Francis Maude: During 2011, there were no such instances of data loss or breaches of confidentiality.

Departmental Power

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people were employed by (a) Government departments, (b) executive agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies (i) in 1997, (ii) in 2010 and (iii) on the most recent date for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated February 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning, how many people were employed by (a) Government departments, (b) executive agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies (a) in 1997, (b) in 2010 and (c) on the most recent date for which figures are available. (96606)
	For 1997 it is not possible to disaggregate data by Government departments and executive agencies. Data for 1997 was collected and published by Cabinet Office. Only a hardcopy publication is available which does not provide the requested breakdown of statistics. Instead, a total Civil Service employment figure (full-time equivalent) has been provided. Data for 2010 and for the most recent date for which figures are available (quarter 3 2011) has been disaggregated by Government departments, executive agencies and Crown NDPBs on a full-time equivalent basis. Crown NDPBs are included as part of Civil Service employment estimates as the staff they employ are civil servants.
	For NDPBs, data for 1997 are only available on a headcount basis. As such, data for 2010 and for the most recent date for which figures are available (quarter 3 2011), for consistency, has been provided on the same basis. Most NDPBs are non-Crown, therefore any staff they employ are not civil servants. As described above, there are exceptions. These bodies are Crown NDPBs and their employees are civil servants and are counted as being in the Civil Service for the purpose of ONS sector employee headcounts.
	Crown NDPBs have been excluded from the estimate of employment for NDPBs to avoid double-counting with the Civil Service estimates. This is consistent with ONS's official estimates of Public Sector Employment that are produced on a quarterly basis.
	The requested data are at Annex A.
	
		
			 Annex A:  Employment in Government Departments, Executive Agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) (1) 
			 All  e mployees 
			 Full- time equivalents  (FTE) 1997 (2) 2010 (3) 2011 (4) 
			 Civil Service Organisations    
			 Government Departments n/a 221,700 206,790 
			 Executive Agency n/a 252,450 224,870 
			 Crown Non-Departmental Public Bodies n/a 12,830 12,070 
			 Total of above Civil Service Organisations 494,660 486,980 443,740 
			     
			 Headcount    
			 Non-departmental Public Bodies(2,5,6) 101,740 90,640 80,350 
			 (1) Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. (2) For 1997 it is not possible to disaggregate all employees by Government Department, Executive Agencies and Crown NDPBs. (3) Figures from Q2 2010 Quarterly Public Sector Employment Survey (Office for National Statistics). (4) Figures from Q3 2011 Quarterly Public Sector Employment Survey (Office for National Statistics). (5) Figures for NDPB's for 1997 are taken from the Public Bodies Report 1997, which were collected and published by Cabinet Office. Employees in NDPBs for 1997 are all employees on a Headcount basis. Subsequent periods have been supplied on the same basis. (6) Crown NDPBs have not been included as part of non-departmental public bodies to avoid double-counting.

Members: Correspondence

Denis MacShane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he expects to reply to the letter of 30 November 2011 from the right hon. Member for Rotherham on the Action Housing charity.

Nick Hurd: I replied to the right hon. Member's letter on 23 February 2012.

New Businesses

David Crausby: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many new businesses on average are created each week; and how many new businesses on average were created each week in 2002.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated February 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many new businesses on average are created each week; and how many new businesses on average were created each week in 2002.
	Annual statistics on the number of enterprise births within a calendar year are available from the ONS release on Business Demography at
	www.statistics.gov.uk
	However, unfortunately we do not produce the statistics on a weekly basis. The following table gives the number of births for each year from 2000 to the most recent year, 2010. We have also derived a weekly average by dividing the annual figure by 52. Statistics relating to 2011 will be available in December 2012.
	
		
			 Births 
			  Count Count/52 
			 2000 242,485 4,663 
			 2001 243,430 4,681 
			 2002 242,540 4,664 
			 2003 267,000 5,135 
			 2004 280,080 5,386 
			 2005 274,855 5,286 
			 2006 255,530 4,914 
			 2007 280,730 5,399 
			 2008 267,445 5,143 
			 2009 236,025 4,539 
			 2010 235,145 4,522

Third Sector

Chris White: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps his Department has taken to implement the principles of the Best Value Statutory Guidance in respect of (a) giving at least three months' notice to voluntary and community organisations and their service users when reducing or ending funding, (b) engaging with voluntary and community organisations and service users as early as possible before making a decision on the future of the service, any knock-on effects on assets used to provide this service and the wider impact on the local community and (c) making provision for voluntary and community organisations and service users to put forward options on how to reshape the service or project.

Nick Hurd: Although the Best Value guidance does not legally apply to central Government Departments or their executive agencies, the Cabinet Office supports the fair standards set out in the guidance and has, along with other central Government Departments, re-affirmed its commitment to the national Compact. The principles of the Compact will be applied in all work with the civil society sector.
	In January the National Audit Office published “Central Government's implementation of the national Compact”, a report which provides commentary on the implementation of the national Compact across Government. Cabinet Office participated fully in the National Audit Office's review and will be following up as appropriate the recommendations within the NAO report in order to ensure that the Department continues to be a strong model of collaborative working between Government and the civil society sector.
	The Office for Civil Society (OCS) in the Cabinet Office is responsible for:
	acting as the sponsor Department for Compact Voice (which acts as the voice of the voluntary sector on the Compact, with a network of over 2,300 members);
	hosting the Annual Compact Awards, recognising excellence in Compact working and promoting best practice; and
	liaising with officials across central Government Departments on Compact-related issues, for example the inclusion of statements on the implementation of the national Compact in departmental business plans.

Volunteering

Simon Hart: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of people who are full-time volunteers; and how many such people volunteer for 35 or more hours per week.

Nick Hurd: Data from the 2009-10 Citizenship Survey suggests that approximately 163,000 people in England and Wales volunteered for 140 hours or more in the four weeks prior to interview—equivalent to 35 hours a week or more.
	Data are not available to determine if such individuals were full-time volunteers.

JUSTICE

Goodyear Hearings

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many Goodyear hearings there were in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: The information requested is not recorded centrally.

Applied Language Solutions

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  when he was made aware of problems with the provision of translators to the courts service by Applied Language Solutions; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether (a) he, (b) other Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department had any involvement in the acquisition of Applied Language Solutions by Capita; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  whether providers of interpretation and translation services to the courts are required to undertake Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks on their employees; and whether Applied Language Solutions undertakes CRB checks on its interpreters;
	(4)  what long-term measures he plans to implement to ensure that Applied Language Solutions provides qualified interpreters to the courts service.

Crispin Blunt: The information is as follows.
	(1) Ministers were made aware of difficulties with the service provided by Applied Language Solutions on 14 February 2012. We are committed to ensuring that the rights and needs of those who require interpreters are safeguarded and we have asked the contractor to take urgent steps to improve performance. I am receiving regular reports on progress.
	(2) Neither the Secretary of State for Justice, nor Justice Ministers or Ministry of Justice officials had any involvement in the acquisition of ALS by Capita.
	(3) The contractor is required to ensure appropriate Criminal Records Bureau checks are undertaken.
	(4) The Ministry have made clear to the contractor that the problems must be addressed immediately. The contractor is taking urgent steps to improve performance including providing additional staff to deal with bookings, further targeted recruitment of interpreters in key languages and improvements to the call handling and complaints process. The Ministry is monitoring performance on a daily basis.

Bassetlaw: Repossession Orders and Small Claims

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many county court claims, where the defendant lived in a Bassetlaw postcode area, were scheduled to be heard at (a) Worksop court and (b) Mansfield court in the last six months;
	(2)  how many court repossessions of private houses there were in Bassetlaw constituency in each month of the last five years.

Jonathan Djanogly: There were 17 county court claims, where at least one defendant lived in a Bassetlaw postcode area, that were scheduled for a trial or small claim hearing at Worksop court between April and September 2011, the latest period for which data are available. The equivalent figure for Mansfield court was 14 claims, and there were a further two claims that involved a trial or small claim hearing being scheduled at both Worksop and Mansfield courts.
	The following table shows the number of claims leading to orders being made for the repossession of property by mortgage lenders and landlords in Bassetlaw constituency in each month of the last five years. The Ministry of Justice does not hold information on the total number of repossessions of property (including where keys are handed back voluntarily).
	These figures represent the number of claims leading to orders being made. This is more accurate than the number of orders, removing the double-counting of instances where a single claim leads to more than one order. It is also a more meaningful measure of the number of home owners who are subject to court repossession actions.
	These figures do not indicate how many properties have actually been repossessed. Repossessions can occur without a court order, such as where borrowers hand the keys back to the lender. Also, not all possession orders result in repossession. Many orders are suspended and if the borrower or tenant complies with the repayment arrangements set out in the suspended order, the property will not be repossessed.
	Claims leading to orders figures for all regions and local authority areas in England and Wales in 2011 were recently published on 9 February 2012. This statistical bulletin is available from the Ministry of Justice website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/civil-justice/mortgage-possession.htm
	Claims leading to orders figures for all parliamentary constituencies in England and Wales will be placed on the above website by 8 March.
	
		
			 Number of mortgage (1)  and landlord (2, 3)  possession claims leading to orders made (4, 5, 6)  for properties in Bassetlaw constituency (7, 8) , 2007-11 
			  Mortgage possession Landlord possession 
			  2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 January 20 20 15 15 15 10 10 (9)— 10 15 
			 February 20 15 10 10 10 (9)— 10 (9)— 10 (9)— 
			 March 15 20 10 15 10 10 20 10 10 10 
			 April 20 25 15 15 15 10 10 (9)— 15 (9)— 
			 May 15 25 15 15 15 15 15 10 15 (9)— 
		
	
	
		
			 June 15 30 (9)— 10 20 10 15 10 (9)— 20 
			 July (9)— 20 15 10 10 10 10 15 10 (9)— 
			 August 25 25 10 10 10 10 15 15 10 10 
			 September 20 25 10 25 15 (9)— (9)— 20 15 15 
			 October 15 25 10 10 (10)10 (9)— 10 10 10 (10)— 
			 November 10 20 (9)— 10 (10)10 20 (9)— 15 (9)— (10)10 
			 December 15 15 10 (9)— (10)— 10 (9)— 10 10 (10)10 
			 Total 210 270 135 150 (10)140 120 125 120 120 (10)110 
			 (1) Includes all types of mortgage lenders. (2) Includes all types of landlord whether social or private. (3) Landlord actions include those made under both standard and accelerated procedures. Landlord actions via the accelerated procedure enables the orders to be made solely on the basis of written evidence for shorthold tenancies, when the fixed period of tenancy has come to an end. (4) The number of claims that lead to an order includes all claims in which the first order, whether outright or suspended, is made during the period (5) The court, following a judicial decision, may grant an order for possession immediately. This entitles the claimant to apply for a warrant to have the defendant evicted. However, even where a warrant for possession is issued, the parties can still negotiate a compromise to prevent eviction. (6) Includes outright and suspended orders, the latter being where the court grants the claimant possession but suspends the operation of the order. Provided the defendant complies with the terms of suspension, which usually require the defendant to pay the current mortgage or rent instalments plus some of the accrued arrears, the possession order cannot be enforced. (7) All figures are rounded to the nearest five. (8) Data up until the first quarter of 2010 (January to March) will reflect Bassetlaw constituency boundaries as fixed at the 2005 general election and for the rest of 2010 and 2011 the re-fixed boundaries as of May 2010. (9) The figure is not provided as the number is either seven or less. (10) All period figures are based on provisional data. Source: Ministry of Justice.

Civil Proceedings: Finance

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the potential change in the number of (a) industrial disease cases, (b) clinical negligence cases, (c) privacy and defamation cases and (d) large-scale business and human rights cases as a result of implementation of the proposals on civil litigation funding and costs in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the proportion of victims' (a) general damages and (b) special damages for past loss that will be taken by claimant lawyers in (i) industrial disease cases, (ii) clinical negligence cases, (iii) privacy and defamation cases and (iv) large-scale business and human rights cases as a result of implementation of the provisions of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill.

Jonathan Djanogly: An impact assessment on the proposals on civil litigation funding and costs was published alongside the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill and is available on the Ministry of Justice website. Once these reforms are implemented, we expect there to be a small reduction in the number of cases taken to court, but it has not been possible to quantify the reduction or assess it by case type.
	In personal injury cases, the success fees which claimant lawyers may charge will be capped at 25% of general damages, excluding damages for future care and loss. General damages for non-pecuniary loss such as pain, suffering and loss of amenity will be increased by 10%.
	The Government would expect a competitive market to develop among claimant lawyers as to the level of success fee that might be charged in future, with an incentive to protect claimants' damages. It is not possible to quantify these effects.

Compensation: Victims

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to implement the provisions of the Crime and Security Act 2010 on compensation for victims of terrorism overseas.

Crispin Blunt: We intend to lay a statutory scheme for compensating potential future victims of terrorism overseas before Parliament later this year. Subject to approval by Parliament, we will commence the scheme soon afterwards.

Corruption: Prosecutions

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prosecutions have been brought against individuals and companies under the Bribery Act 2010 since it came into force; what the nationalities were of those subject to prosecutions; how many such prosecutions are ongoing; how many of those which have completed were successful; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: The Bribery Act 2010 came into force on 1 July 2011; annual court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in May 2012.

Courts: Security

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many security staff were employed in courts in each of the last five years.

Jonathan Djanogly: Under the Ministry of Justice, Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Services (HMCTS) has employed approximately 1,537 security staff (security guards/supervisors) annually over each of the last five years.

Crimes of Violence: Mental Health

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of dangerous and severe personality disorder units in reducing the risk of further violent offences being committed.

Paul Burstow: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department of Health:
	It is too early to assess the long-term effectiveness of the work done on dangerous and severe personality disorder including the national health service and national offender management service pilot dangerous and severe personality disorder units which were set up from 2004. The Department of Health and Ministry of Justice's initial research and evaluation is that providing a long-term programme of interventions for offenders with severe personality disorders reduces the level of risk behaviours they present.
	The Government's plans to implement the Offender Personality Disorder strategy and reconfigure the pilot services to improve service efficiency, support effectiveness, increase capacity and further develop the evidence base to reduce the overall level of risk.

Debt Collection: Regulation

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what changes in the law would be needed to prevent claims management companies from texting or telephoning people without their prior consent.

Jonathan Djanogly: It is not necessary to change the law. All companies are prohibited from sending text messages to a consumer without his or her consent under the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003, which are enforced by the Information Commissioner's Office. Although the regulations permit businesses to telephone consumers without their consent, consumers may opt out of receiving such calls, either by notifying the business in question or registering their details with the Telephone Preference Service. The Claims Management Regulation Unit may take action—including suspending or cancelling a claims management company's licence—if that company breaches the regulations or the claims management conduct rules. A cross regulator and telecoms industry working group has been established to help improve the techniques for tackling the growth in unsolicited SMS messages and calls seeking to generate claims. Members of the group include the major telecoms providers, the Information Commissioner's Office, the Direct Marketing Association, Office of Fair Trading, the Advertising Standards Authority and Ofcom. The Government's proposed reforms to the funding of personal injury claims and the ban on referral fees will significantly reduce the financial incentives which currently drive such marketing.

Debt Collection: Regulation

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many claims management companies have had their authorisations revoked as a consequence of telephone or text message spamming since May 2010.

Kenneth Clarke: None. The Claims Management Regulation Unit has and continues to investigate claims management companies suspected of receiving claims leads obtained through unsolicited approaches or other marketing techniques which may breach the requirements placed on those companies. Such investigations can lead to the companies surrendering their authorisation before formal enforcement action has been implemented. In 2010-11, 539 claims management companies surrendered their authorisation, 218 of which were subject to prior enforcement action during the same regulatory year. In 2010-11, the Claims Management Regulation Unit imposed additional conditions to the terms of 13 Claims Management Companies’ authorisations following investigations into concerns about their use of agents and marketing.

Departmental Data Protection

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he plans to take to ensure the enforcement of laws relating to data protection and use of personal information.

Kenneth Clarke: The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is the independent body responsible for regulating and enforcing the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA). The Information Commissioner has a wide range of powers to ensure compliance with the DPA.
	On 25 January 2012 the European Commission published a proposal for a new EU data protection regulation that will ultimately replace the DPA. The MoJ subsequently launched a Call for Evidence on the draft proposals, which can be found at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/data-protection-proposals-cfe.htm
	This closes on 6 March 2012. The regulation will be negotiated by EU member states and the European Parliament before becoming law. The regulatory powers of data protection supervisory authorities across Europe will be considered in detail during these negotiations.

Feltham Young Offender Institution

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was spent on the Daedalus resettlement project at the Heron Wing HM Young Offender Institution Feltham in each year of its operation.

Crispin Blunt: Funding was principally provided by the European Social Fund (ESF) and London Development Agency (LDA), with four officers paid for by the Youth Justice Board (YJB). Total amounts spent on the Daedalus programme are as follows:
	
		
			 Daedalus programme (1) 
			  Total amount spent (£) 
			 2008-09 20,000.00 
			 2009-10 595,771.00 
			 2010-11 622,275.00 
			 2011-12 868,091.00 
			 2012-13 149,790.00 
			 (1 )The Daedalus programme, which is co-ordinated by the Mayor of London's Office, commenced operation on 29 September 2009 and will be complete at the end of May 2012.

Feltham Young Offender Institution

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the reoffending rate has been of those who participated in the Daedalus resettlement project at the Heron Wing, HM Young Offender Institution Feltham; and how many participants have secured employment.

Crispin Blunt: A full 12 month proven reoffending analysis, in line with Ministry of Justice research standards, will form part of an in depth evaluation report of the Daedalus programme is expected to be produced in summer 2012 by Ipso Mori. It will also contain a full outline of education, employment and training outcomes for Daedalus programme participants. A preliminary report, which will present early findings on proven re-offending rates, is due in March.
	The Ministry of Justice publishes information on proven re-offending for young offenders who have been discharged from youth offending institutions, including Feltham, but the information collected does not allow those offenders held in the Heron unit to be separately identified from the rest of the offenders held in Feltham.

Feltham Young Offender Institution

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2012, Official Report, column 509W, on Feltham Young Offender Institution, what criteria will be used to determine whether to continue with the Daedalus resettlement project at the Heron Wing, HM Young Offender Institution Feltham.

Crispin Blunt: The Daedalus Programme will not continue beyond May 2012, when European Social Funding ends. The future of the Heron Unit, incorporating lessons learned from Daedalus, will be for the Youth Justice Board to determine, in line with its responsibility and strategy for commissioning secure places for young people under the age of 18.
	I understand that the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime is launching a new European Social Funding programme. This will target young Londoners aged between 14 and 17 years of age who have either been remanded or sentenced to custody and will enable statutory and third sector agencies to support them to re-engage with education, training or employment on release. Supporting young people on Heron Unit will also be explored as part of this new programme.

Illegal Immigrants: Employment

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many cases were taken to court for the employment of illegal migrants in the last year for which figures are available; how many such cases resulted in a conviction; what the largest fine levied was; how many fines were levied; and how many have been paid.

Crispin Blunt: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates court, found guilty and sentenced at all courts for offences related to employing illegal immigrants in England and Wales in 2010 (latest available), can be viewed in the following table.
	The largest fine levied was for the offence of employing a person knowing that they are an adult subject to immigration control at £7,515.
	Annual court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in May 2012.
	Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Services (HMCTS) data recording systems do not identify the value of fines paid for specific offences. This information could be provided only by carrying out a manual search of the 45 individual fine account databases.
	
		
			 Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts, found guilty and sentenced at all courts for selected immigration related offences, England and Wales 2010 (1, 2, 3) 
			 Statute Offence description Proceeded against Convicted Sentenced Discharged Fine Community sentences Suspended sentences 
			 Asylum and Immigration Act 1996, s.8 as amended by the Asylum and Immigration Act 2004, s.6 Employing a person aged 16 and above subject to immigration control. 5 3 4 — 4 — — 
			 Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, s.21 Employing a person knowing that they are an adult subject to immigration control. 8 5 4 1 1 1 1 
			 Accession (Immigration and Worker Authorisation) Regulations 2006, R.12(1)(b) and (6) Employing accession state national subject to worker authorisation in accession period. 1 1 1 — 1 — — 
			 (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) The number of offenders sentenced can differ from those found guilty as it may be the case that a defendant found guilty in a particular year, and committed for sentence at the Crown Court, may be sentenced in the following year. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.

Judges: Tribunals

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many judges were assigned to the Social Entitlement Chamber of the First Tier Tribunal on the final day of each of the last five years.

Jonathan Djanogly: The following table sets out the number of those judges in post to the First Tier Social Entitlement Chamber on 31 of December each year from 2008 to 2011. There are no figures prior to 2008 as this Chamber was only established in November 2008.
	
		
			  2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 Regional Tribunal Judge     
			 Salaried 7 7 7 7 
			      
			 Tribunal Judge     
			 Salaried 64 78 87 101 
			 Fee paid 580 580 629 702 
			      
			 Total 651 665 723 810

Legal Aid Scheme

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what changes the Government plans to make to the tendering process for criminal legal aid services in the current Parliament;
	(2)  what plans he has to implement his Department's 22 March 2010 proposals on restructuring the delivery of criminal legal aid;

Jonathan Djanogly: We underlined our intention to restructure the delivery of criminal legal aid services, through competitive tendering, in a written ministerial statement on 1 December 2011, Official Report, columns 74-75WS. That statement set out also a revised policy development and implementation timetable, and the reasons for the brief delay. In summary, the plan is to consult on competitive tendering proposals in autumn 2013, with a view to the first tenders opening in autumn 2014. The consultation paper will take account of the outline proposals set out by the previous Government in March 2010.

Offenders: Rehabilitation

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many people completed Accredited Offending Behaviour and Substance Misuse programmes (a) in custody and (b) in the community in (i) each of the last three years and (ii) 2011-12 to date;
	(2)  how many people sentenced to an indeterminate sentence for public protection completed Accredited Offending Behaviour and Substance Misuse programmes (a) in custody and (b) in the community in (i) each of the last three years and (ii) 2011-12 to date;
	(3)  how many people completed Accredited Offending Behaviour and Substance Misuse programmes (a) in custody and (b) in the community, by type of programme, in (i) each of the last three years and (ii) 2011-12 to date.

Crispin Blunt: The following tables show the number of completions of accredited programmes completed by people in custody (Table 1) and the community (Table 2) for each of the last three full financial years. The tables show completions by programme type and overall totals.
	Data are not collated centrally for the number of completions by offenders sentenced to an indeterminate sentence for public protection and can be collated only at disproportionate cost.
	Data for the current financial year are scheduled for publication on 26 July 2012 in the Management Information Addendum to the NOMS Annual Report.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
	
		
			 Table 1: Custody accredited programme delivery by programme 
			 Programme type Programme 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Offending behaviour Controlling Anger and Learning to Manage it 661 769 907 
			  Chromis 45 45 40 
			  Cognitive Skills Booster 352 391 295 
			  Cognitive Self-Change Programme 26 28 33 
			  Enhanced Thinking Skills 5,818 3,307 73 
			  Focus on Resettlement 213 354 431 
			  Juvenile Enhanced Thinking Skills 104 77 93 
			  Democratic Therapeutic Communities 203 194 245 
			  Thinking Skills Programme(1) 28 2373 5,288 
			      
			 Substance misuse 12 Step 488 452 532 
			  Alcohol Dependency Treatment Programme n/a 78 115 
			  Alcohol 61 n/a n/a 
			  Alcohol Related Violence 32 16 172 
			  Bridges n/a n/a 35 
			  Building Skills for Recovery n/a n/a 89 
			  Control of Violence for Angry Impulsive Drinkers n/a n/a 222 
			  FOCUS 67 84 82 
		
	
	
		
			  Prison-Addressing Substance Related Offending 2,974 2,716 2,391 
			  Short Duration Programme 3,987 3,810 3,534 
			  STOP 273 312 n/a 
			  Therapeutic Communities 172 161 147 
			      
			 Domestic violence Healthy Relationships Programme 77 171 192 
			      
			 Sex offending Adapted Better Lives Booster 15 19 33 
			  Adapted Programme 80 15 n/a 
			  Better Lives Booster 157 121 154 
			  Becoming New Me(2) n/a 65 99 
			  Core Programme 418 449 408 
			  Extended Programme 86 97 128 
			  Healthy Sexual Functioning 28 17 10 
			  Rolling Programme 330 350 310 
			 Total  16,695 16,471 16,058 
			 (1 )Thinking Skills Programme has been implemented as the replacement for both Enhanced Thinking Skills. (2) Becoming New Me has been implemented as the replacement for the Adapted programme. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Community accredited programme delivery by programme 
			 Programme type Programme 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Offending behaviour Aggression Replacement Training 1,134 787 480 
			  Controlling Anger and Learning to Manage It 854 837 714 
			  Cognitive Skills Booster 364 365 259 
			  Enhanced Thinking Skills 1,149 837 74 
			  One to One 215 148 107 
			  Women's Programme 92 125 81 
			  Think First 4,135 2,661 341 
			  Thinking Skills Programme(1) 74 1,333 3,497 
			      
			 Substance misuse Addressing Substance Related Offending 1,257 1,322 735 
			  Control of Violence for Angry Impulsive Drinkers 5 38 220 
			  Drink Impaired Drivers 3,846 3,472 2,316 
			  Low Intensity Alcohol Programme 458 422 433 
			  Offender Substance Abuse Programme 700 699 436 
			  Substance Relapse Prevention 11 12 3 
			      
			 Domestic violence Community Domestic Violence Programme 801 825 897 
			  Integrated Domestic Abuse Programme 2,126 2,365 2,944 
			      
			 Sex offending Community Adapted Sex Offender Treatment Programme 9 5 4 
			  Community Sex Offender Group Programme 388 434 460 
			  Internet Sex Offender Treatment Programme 268 261 334 
			  Northumbria Sex Offender Group Programme 339 364 352 
			  Thames Valley Sex Offender Group Programme 363 388 422 
			 Total  18,588 17,700 15,109 
			 (1 )Thinking Skills Programme has been implemented as the replacement for both Enhanced Thinking Skills and Think First.

Older People

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of his Department's expenditure was spent on services for the elderly in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice works in partnership with the other Government Departments and agencies to protect the public and reduce reoffending, and to provide a more effective, transparent and responsive criminal justice system for victims and every member of the public.
	The Department's accounting systems do not record expenditure incurred in the provision of these services for any particular group or category of the public, such as the elderly. To determine the extent, if any, that they did, would incur disproportionate cost.

Parole Board: Manpower

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff the Parole Board employed in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: During the past five years the Parole Board employed the following numbers of staff as at 31 March in each year indicated.
	
		
			  Permanent staff Temporary staff Total 
			 2006-07 76 10 86 
			 2007-08 78 21 99 
			 2008-09 79 19 98 
			 2009-10 91 12 103 
			 2010-11 97 9 106

Personal Injury: Compensation

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many motor accident personal injury claims for compensation for whiplash injuries were made in each of the last five years.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice does not hold figures centrally which specifically relate to motor accident personal injury claims for compensation for whiplash injuries. This is because, even though personal injury claims for compensation are logged onto the administrative computer systems used in the county courts, no distinction is made for claims arising from motor accident whiplash injuries; and personal injury claims generally cannot be accurately distinguished from other types of cases brought for an unspecified amount of money.

Prison Sentences

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average number of previous convictions is of prisoners given an indeterminate sentence for public protection.

Crispin Blunt: The average number of previous convictions for offenders serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection in England and Wales at 30 June 2010 is 10. This is the latest available figure and is a further breakdown of table A1.27 in “Offender Management Statistics Quarterly Bulletin—Annual Tables” which was published on 28 April 2011.
	These figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.

Prison Sentences

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the backlog was of Parole Board cases awaiting consideration involving prisoners serving (a) an indeterminate sentence for public protection and (b) a life sentence, in each month in the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: The backlog of Parole Board cases awaiting consideration involving prisoners serving an indeterminate sentence or a life sentence for each month in the last three years is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Total case load backlog figure 
			 2009  
			 April 1,832 
			 May 1,904 
			 June 1,834 
			 July 1,949 
			 August 2,010 
			 September 2,103 
			 October 2,148 
			 November 2,188 
			 December 2,237 
			   
			 2010  
			 January 2,331 
			 February 2,424 
			 March 2,488 
			 April 2,651 
			 May 2,604 
			 June (1)— 
			 July (2)2,079 
			 August 2,067 
			 September 2,070 
			 October 1,912 
			 November 1,828 
			 December 1,702 
			   
			 2011  
			 January 1,595 
			 February 1,491 
			 March (1)— 
			 April 1,420 
			 May 1,466 
			 June 1,459 
			 July 1,486 
			 August 1,535 
			 September 1,522 
			 October 1,440 
			 November 1,366 
			 December 1,359 
			   
			 2012  
			 January 1,396 
			 February 1,493 
			 (1) No reported figure due to staff absence. (2) Upon move to new single management information system. 
		
	
	We are unable to provide figures prior to 2009 due to disproportionate costs.
	The breakdown of cases in the backlog as at February 2012 was 52% Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) cases and 48% lifer cases. The Parole Board did not breakdown its backlog of cases by sentence type before February 2012 and as such, it cannot provide a split between IPP cases and lifer cases for previous months due to disproportionate costs. The Parole Board will be recording this breakdown as from February 2012.

Prison Sentences

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the number of extended determinate sentences as proposed in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill which will be awarded per annum; and for what offences.

Crispin Blunt: Based on the proposals in the LASPO Bill, the Ministry of Justice anticipate that a similar number of offenders to those currently receiving Indeterminate Sentences for Public Protection (IPPs) or Extended Sentences for Public Protection (EPPs) would in future receive the new Extended Determinate Sentence (EDS).
	Using our best available evidence, we estimate that approximately 1,100 offenders would receive the new EDS per annum, based on historical trends of IPP and EPP receptions.
	EDS offenders, like IPP and EPP offenders, will have committed a Schedule 15 offence and meet the following criteria:
	1. The court must be of the opinion that there is a significant risk to members of the public of serious harm occasioned by the commission by the offender of further specified offences.
	2. The court would specify an appropriate custodial term of at least four years OR (for adult offenders) at the time the offence was committed the offender had already been convicted of an offence in Schedule 15B to the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (set out in Schedule 18 to the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill).

Prison Sentences

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average time served in custody was by a person given (a) an indeterminate sentence for public protection, (b) a discretionary life sentence and (c) a mandatory life sentence but subsequently released from custody, in the last period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows the numbers of indeterminate sentence prisoners released and average time served in custody for those released by the independent Parole Board in 2010. These figures are published annually in the Offender Management Statistics annual tables, most recently for 2010. The 2011 figures will be published on 26 April 2012.
	
		
			  Number 
			 Total released 161 
			   
			 Mandatory lifers  
			 Number 115 
			 Average time served (years) 16 
			   
			 Other lifers  
			 Number 46 
			 Average time served (years) 11 
			   
			 Indeterminate sentences for Public Protection (IPP)  
			 Number 97 
			 Average time served (years) 4 
		
	
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoners: Reading

Neil Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what support his Department is providing for the work of the Toe by Toe peer mentoring programme operated by the Shannon Trust in the prison system.

Crispin Blunt: ‘Making Prisons Work: Skills for Rehabilitation. Review of Offender Learning’ (May 2011), published jointly by the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, highlights the value of peer mentoring and demonstrates our commitment to invest in offenders who display an aptitude for such roles. We will continue to support the work of the Shannon Trust in our prisons by promoting their work, integrating their staff and identifying, supporting and developing the prisoner peer mentors who facilitate the reading scheme.

Prisoners' Release

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of whether the issuing of guidance as a statutory instrument by his Department to the Parole Board on the release test for prisoners serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection or a life sentence was in conformity with the law.

Crispin Blunt: On 26 October 2011 the Government tabled amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill which will reform sentencing for dangerous offenders. These include a power for the Secretary of State to amend by order the primary legislation which sets out the criteria used by the Parole Board when considering release for 1PP prisoners. The power does not enable the Secretary of State to make similar provision in respect of life sentence prisoners. This power is subject to affirmative resolution by both Houses. The exercise of the power will be lawful if agreed by both Houses: any changes made by the Order will be to primary legislation. The Ministry of Justice published a Delegated Powers Memorandum for the Bill, which was scrutinised by the House of Lords Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee. No comment was made on this power.

Prisoners: Pay

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how much has been deducted from prisoners' earnings following his implementation of the provisions of the Prisoners' Earnings Act 1996, since September 2011;
	(2)  what the cost to the public purse has been of the administration of deducting money from prisoners' earnings following the implementation of the provisions of the Prisoners' Earnings Act 1996.

Crispin Blunt: These figures are due to be published for the first time in April 2012. They are currently in preparation and have not yet been quality assured for public release. I will write to the hon. Member with the figures when they are published.
	There has been no requirement to identify the administrative costs of making the deductions from prisoners' earnings to date and this could be done in retrospect only at disproportionate cost.

Prisoners: Voluntary Organisations

Jenny Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which private and voluntary sector organisations 
	(1)  are working with prisoners in the high security adult prison estate;
	(2)  are working with prisoners in the adult prison estate in (a) the West Midlands, (b) the North East, (c) Greater London, (d) the South West, (e) the East of England, (f) the East Midlands, (g) the North West and (h) Wales.

Crispin Blunt: This information is not centrally recorded as arrangements and partnerships can be established locally or nationally. Collating this information could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost.

Prisons: Sick Leave

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the level of staff sickness absence was in each prison in the last 12 months.

Crispin Blunt: Information on the sickness absence rate, measured in average working days lost, for each Prison Service establishment is in the following table.
	
		
			 Average working days lost to sickness absence—October 2010 to September 2011 
			 Public sector establishment Average working days lost 
			 Ashwell 12.8 
			 Askham Grange 10.9 
			 Aylesbury 10.6 
			 Bedford 8.4 
			 Belmarsh 11.2 
			 Birmingham 10.3 
			 Blantyre House 5.6 
			 Blundeston 10.0 
			 Brinsford 12.4 
			 Bristol 6.0 
			 Brixton 11.0 
			 Buckley Hall 13.5 
			 Bullingdon 8.2 
			 Bullwood Hail 10.5 
			 Bure 8.0 
			 Canterbury 10.5 
			 Cardiff 11.4 
			 Channings Wood 7.5 
			 Chelmsford 12.0 
			 Coldingley 9.3 
			 Cookham Wood 12.4 
			 Dartmoor 13.0 
			 Deerbolt 11.4 
			 Dorchester 8.0 
			 Dover 9.5 
			 Downview 11.9 
			 Drake Hall 6.9 
			 Durham 12.3 
			 East Sutton Park 9.2 
			 Eastwood Park 11.9 
		
	
	
		
			 Elmley 14.3 
			 Erlestoke and Shepton Mallet 9.7 
			 Everthorpe 9.2 
			 Exeter 11.0 
			 Featherstone 8.1 
			 Feltham 12.7 
			 Ford 14.6 
			 Foston Hall 10.3 
			 Frankland 8.3 
			 Full Sutton 9.5 
			 Garth 11.7 
			 Gartree 7.1 
			 Glen Parva 5.2 
			 Gloucester 9.5 
			 Grendon 7.4 
			 Guys Marsh 9.5 
			 Haslar 12.1 
			 Haverigg 14.2 
			 Hewell 12.1 
			 Highdown 11.2 
			 Highpoint 11.8 
			 Hindley 12.5 
			 Hollesley Bay 5.9 
			 Holloway 11.1 
			 Holme House 11.4 
			 Hull 6.7 
			 Huntercombe 6.6 
			 Isis 13.3 
			 Isle of Wight 11.3 
			 Kennet 13.3 
			 Kingston 9.9 
			 Kirkham 11.3 
			 Kirklevington Grange 11.4 
			 Lancaster 13.3 
			 Lancaster Farms 10.6 
			 Latchmere House 10.3 
			 Leeds 11.8 
			 Leicester 5.1 
			 Lewes 12.8 
			 Leyhill 8.9 
			 Lincoln 8.6 
			 Lindholme 10.0 
			 Littlehey 12.9 
			 Liverpool 15.6 
			 Long Lartin 5.3 
			 Low Newton 12.1 
			 Maidstone 11.2 
			 Manchester 11.3 
			 Moorland 9.9 
			 Morton Hall 4.8 
			 New Hall 11.0 
			 North Sea Camp 8.0 
			 Northallerton 8.8 
			 Northumberland 11.8 
			 Norwich 10.2 
			 Nottingham 8.9 
			 Onley 7.2 
			 Pentonville 9.7 
			 Portland 8.7 
			 Preston 9.7 
			 Ranby 8.0 
		
	
	
		
			 Reading 15.9 
			 Risley 9.7 
			 Rochester 10.5 
			 Send 8.8 
			 Sheppey Central Services and Reoffending 10.5 
			 Shrewsbury 9.5 
			 Stafford 10.5 
			 Standford Hill 17.6 
			 Stocken 10.0 
			 Stoke Heath 9.9 
			 Styal 12.8 
			 Sudbury 5.4 
			 Swaleside 11.3 
			 Swansea 8.8 
			 Swinfen Hall 9.8 
			 The Mount 8.0 
			 The Verne 10.2 
			 Thorn Cross 7.4 
			 Usk/Prescoed 9.9 
			 Wakefield 6.3 
			 Wandsworth 10.8 
			 Warren Hill 11.9 
			 Wayland 7.7 
			 Wealstun 9.5 
			 Wellingborough 9.5 
			 Werrington 7.5 
			 Wetherby 10.6 
			 Whatton 7.5 
			 Whitemoor 6.0 
			 Winchester 13.1 
			 Woodhill 6.4 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 8.5 
			 Wymott 13.2 
		
	
	
		
			 Private sector establishment Period (1) Average working days lost 
			 Altcourse January 2011 to December 2011 12.5 
		
	
	
		
			 Ashfield January 2011 to December 2011 3.3 
			 Birmingham —(2) — 
			 Bronzefield April 2011 to January 2012 7.8 
			 Doncaster January 2011 to December 2011 2.5 
			 Dovegate January 2011 to December 2011 4.8 
			 Forest Bank April 2011 to January 2012 5.6 
			 Lowdham Grange January 2011 to December 2011 2.5 
			 Pare January 2011 to December 2011 8.6 
			 Peterborough April 2011 to January 2012 6.4 
			 Rye Hill January 2011 to December 2011 9.1 
			 Wolds January 2011 to December 2011 8.7 
			 (1) The period reported for public sector prisons (October 2010 to September 2011) corresponds with the latest contribution to published civil service sickness absence data. Private sector establishments are not subject to this publication and the latest available period has been provided by contractors. (2) HMP Birmingham transferred to private sector management in October 2011. Sickness absence for this establishment has therefore been reported within the public sector prisons table.

Public Bodies

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his Department's most recent estimate is of the savings it expects to accrue from the abolition of each body under the Public Bodies Act 2011 for which his Department is responsible; and in which year of the spending review period each such saving is expected to arise.

Jonathan Djanogly: The most recent estimates of the savings to accrue from the abolition of the Ministry of Justice’s bodies included in Schedule 1 of the Public Bodies Act 2011 and for each year of the spending review are shown in the following table.
	These estimates were made in March 2011. The Department is currently revising its savings estimates.
	
		
			 £ million 
			 Body 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 Cumulative 
			 Administrative Justice and Tribunal Council 0.4 1.2 1.3 1.4 4.3 
			 Courts Boards (x19) 0.1 0.5 0.5 0.5 1.6 
			 HM Inspectorate of Court Administration 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.7 6.4 
			 Public Guardian Board 0 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.4 
		
	
	No savings will accrue from the abolition of the Magistrates' Courts Rule Committee or the Crown Court Rule Committee.
	The Victims' Advisory Panel (VAP) is also included in Schedule 1 of the Act. However, no final decision has been made regarding abolition of the VAP pending the outcome of the Department's consultation on services for victims and witnesses, “Getting it right for victims and witnesses”, which was launched on 30 January and closes on 22 April. The consultation paper can be found on the Ministry of Justice website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/victims-witnesses-cp3-2012.htm

Sentencing: Terrorism

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has for the future use of indeterminate sentences for public protection in respect of terrorism offences.

Crispin Blunt: On 26 October 2011 the Government tabled amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill which will reform sentencing for dangerous offenders. We will replace sentences of imprisonment for public protection with a tough new regime which will see more dangerous offenders given life sentences, and others spending long periods in prison and being supervised for long periods after their release.
	Schedule 18 to the Bill sets out offences for which dangerous offenders are liable to particularly robust sentencing provisions.
	This regime includes a new mandatory life sentence where offenders are convicted a second time of a very serious instance of a sexual or violent offence set out in Schedule 18 to the Bill.
	The regime also includes a new extended sentence for dangerous offenders on which the offender must serve at least two-thirds of the custodial term in prison, and in serious cases can serve the whole custodial term in prison if the Parole Board does not direct earlier release. Offences set out in Schedule 18 make offenders potentially liable to serve the entire custodial term.
	The most serious terrorism offences can be charged under violent offences such as for example murder, attempted murder, and grievous bodily harm with intent. The most serious violent offences are included in Schedule 18. There are also several specific terrorism-related offences enacted to cover scenarios where general offences would not be appropriate. To ensure that all terrorism offences can be dealt with appropriately, serious specific terrorism-related offences are included in Schedule 18.
	Discretionary life sentences will remain available for those terrorism offences carrying a maximum penalty of life.

Sentencing: Young People

Jenny Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of people in England and Wales given a custodial sentence in each year from 2008 to 2011 were aged between 18 and 24;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of people given a community sentence in each year between 2008 and 2011 were aged between 18 and 24;
	(3)  how many and what proportion of people in England and Wales given a suspended sentence were aged between 18 and 24 in each year from 2008 to 2011.

Crispin Blunt: Persons aged between 18 and 24 given custodial, community and suspended sentences in England and Wales from 2008 to 2010 (latest available) can be viewed in the table.
	Annual court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in May, 2012.
	
		
			 Persons aged 18 to 24 sentenced for all offences at all courts in England and Wales, 2008 to 2010 (1,2) 
			  Total sentenced Community sentence Suspended sentence Immediate custody Other sentences (3) 
			 2008 (4)      
			 Age 18 to 24 320,522 47,926 13,302 31,056 228,238 
			 Other ages 1,033,415 142,245 27,849 68,469 794,852 
			 All ages 1,353,937 190,171 41,151 99,525 1,023,090 
			 Proportion aged 18 to 24 (%) 23.7 25.2 32.3 31.2 22.3 
			       
			 2009      
			 Age 18 to 24 344,831 52,134 13,770 32,176 246,751 
			 Other ages 1,053,447 143,769 31,387 68,055 810,236 
			 All ages 1,398,278 195,903 45,157 100,231 1,056,987 
			 Proportion aged 18 to 24 (%) 24.7 26.6 30.5 32.1 23.3 
			       
			 2010      
			 Age 18 to 24 325,067 50,850 14,528 31,403 228,286 
			 Other ages 1,032,533 138,471 33,590 70,110 790,362 
			 All ages 1,357,600 189,321 48,118 101,513 1,018,648 
			 Proportion aged 18 to 24 (%) 23.9 26.9 30.2 30.9 22.4 
			 (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Includes absolute and conditional discharges, fines, and other disposals. (4) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July, and August 2008. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services in the Ministry of Justice

Sexual Offences: Medical Treatments

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many men convicted of gross indecency under (a) section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885 and (b) section 13 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956 elected for chemical castration as an alternative to a prison sentence.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice court proceedings database holds information on offences provided by the statutes under which proceedings are brought but not the specific circumstances of each case. It is not possible to identify from centrally held information cases in which a male defendant, following a sentence of immediate custody, may have considered chemical castration.

Special Hospitals

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  to which location each detainee in Broadmoor hospital will be moved following the planned closure of its Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder Unit in April 2012;
	(2)  what risk assessment he has carried out of the proposed closure of the Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder Unit in Broadmoor hospital; what the methodology of any such risk assessment was; and if he will place the assessment and any supporting documents in the Library.

Paul Burstow: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department of Health.
	All the patients on the Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder unit have been individually assessed to determine the level of risk they present and their continuing health needs. Each patient has also undergone a detailed review to assess their longer term treatment and management needs. Based on this comprehensive multidisciplinary process the population at the Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder Unit at Broadmoor will be reduced to four patients by 31 March 2012. All patients who were previously in the Broadmoor unit will continue to be treated in the level of security necessary for the risk they present. Details of the individual assessments and care plans are subject to medical confidentiality.
	The joint assessment of the Department of Health, Ministry of Justice and clinicians from the Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder programme is that: improving the existing dangerous and severe personality disorder units in high security prisons, developing further units in other prisons and providing on-going treatment and management for these offenders presents the best possible use of resources and most effective risk management.
	The proposals for reconfiguring service investment to facilitate the identification, assessment, management and treatment of offenders with severe personality disorders were the subject of a public consultation. The consultation took place between February and May 2011 and received 91 responses. The Department of Health and Ministry of Justice response “Response to the Offender Personality Disorder Consultation” was published on 21 October 2011 and a copy has been placed in the Library.

Third Sector

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department has taken to implement the principles of the Best Value Statutory Guidance in respect of (a) giving at least three months' notice to voluntary and community organisations and their service users when reducing or ending funding, (b) engaging with voluntary and community organisations and service users as early as possible before making a decision on the future of the service, any knock-on effects on assets used to provide this service and the wider impact on the local community and (c) making provision for voluntary and community organisations and service users to put forward options on how to reshape the service or project.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Best Value guidance does not legally apply to central Government Departments or their executive agencies.
	However, as the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government made clear in his foreword to the revised Best Value guidance, central Government Departments support the fair standards set out in the guidance and have re-affirmed their commitment to the National Compact. The issues raised are covered by the Compact. In January the National Audit Office (NAO) published “Central Government's implementation of the National Compact”, a report which provides commentary on the implementation of the national Compact across Government. The Ministry of Justice participated fully in the NAO's review of the National Compact implementation and will be following up as appropriate the recommendations within the National Audit Office report in order to ensure that the Department continues to be a strong model of collaborative working between Government and the voluntary sector.

Translation Services

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many times (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in his Department have met (i) Mr Anthony Dixon and (ii) other directors of Applied Language Solutions.

Kenneth Clarke: Neither I nor my ministerial team in the Ministry of Justice have held meetings with directors of Applied Language Solutions. Special advisers in the Department have also not attended meetings with directors of Applied Language Solutions.
	Ministry of Justice officials have met directors of Applied Language Solutions on a number of occasions since 3 November 2010 and continue to attend meetings with them. Initially this was part of the competitive dialogue process and following that to discuss the development of the Ministry of Justice framework agreement and contract.

Translation Services

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what arrangements have been put into place to make up for problems with the provision of translators by Applied Language Solutions;
	(2)  whether he has asked Applied Language Solutions to provide qualifications and background for each of its translators;
	(3)  how many people were remanded in custody at bail hearings as a result of an interpreter not being available, in the last period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: The information is as follows:
	(1) We are committed to ensuring the rights and needs of those who require interpreters are safeguarded and we have asked the contractor to take urgent steps to improve performance. In addition, as a short term measure, courts and tribunals have reverted to the old booking system for short-notice assignments.
	(2) I have not requested this information. The contractor is obliged to ensure that the interpreters they use have appropriate qualifications, skills, experience and are appropriately vetted. Should any concerns arise about the quality, qualifications or background of individual interpreters there is a robust complaints mechanism.
	(3) This information is not collected.

Trials

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average cost was of an ineffective trial in (a) magistrates and (b) Crown courts in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice does not record the amount of court time lost in respect of ineffective trials in either the magistrates or crown courts. To collect this information it would be necessary to establish a process to ascertain and record time lost due to ineffective trials at each individual court. This would be labour intensive and time consuming and incur disproportionate cost. In the absence of this information it is not possible to evaluate the average costs of ineffective trials in the crown and magistrates courts. However, court business in the crown and magistrates courts is managed in a way that minimises the potential loss of court time due to ineffective trials.

Trials

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average cost was of (a) an ineffective hearing, (b) and ineffective bail hearing and (c) an ineffective plea bargain in (i) magistrates and (ii) Crown courts in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice does not hold statistics relevant to the conduct of hearings, bail hearings and plea bargains in the crown and magistrates courts that would enable the average costs to be evaluated. To collect this information it would be necessary to establish a process to monitor and record the consequences of ineffective proceedings at each individual court. This would be labour intensive and time consuming and incur disproportionate costs. Without this information it is not possible to evaluate the requested average costs.

Tribunals: Social Security Benefits

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many cases are on the waiting list for tribunal hearings for (a) disability living allowance and (b) employment and support allowance.

Jonathan Djanogly: Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions decisions on entitlement to disability living allowance (DLA) and employment and support allowance (ESA).
	There are always a number of ‘live’ appeals at the various stages of processing before being listed for a tribunal hearing.
	The following table shows the total number of ‘live’ DLA and ESA appeals at 31 March 2011, and at 31 October 2011, the most recent period for which statistics have been published.
	
		
			 ‘Live’ disability living allowance and employment and support allowance appeals 
			  31 March 2011 31 October 2011 
			 DLA 45,900 42,200 
			 ESA 88,200 74,800 
			 Source: These data are taken from management information.

Violence: Courts

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many violent incidents occurred in court premises in each of the last five years.

Jonathan Djanogly: The number of violent incidents reported in court premises and in the public areas immediately outside of court (which my Department view as in court premises) are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			 2007-08 178 
			 2008-09 197 
			 2009-10 205 
			 2010-11 188 
			 2011-12 (April to November 2011) 68 
		
	
	My Department takes the security of all court users seriously and it is the policy of Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service that all security incidents are reported and investigated. All incidents involving violence are reported to the police for further investigation. The figures provided comprise reported incidents from the reporting years April to March and resulting in actual violence and include incidents between and against parties, court users and court staff and contractors. These figures do not include verbal abuse or threats, nor any violent incident which took place off court premises while officials are undertaking court duties.

Young Offenders

Jenny Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people aged 18 to 24 entered the prison system for the first time in each year from 2008 to 2011.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows offenders aged 18 to 24 receiving their first immediate custodial sentence for an indictable offence between 2008 and 2010, in England and Wales, as recorded on the police national computer. These are the latest available figures for calendar years and are derived from the data used to produce table A7.13 in Criminal Justice System Statistics, England and Wales 2010. Equivalent figures for 2011 are not yet available.
	These figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.
	
		
			 Offenders aged 18 to 24 receiving their first immediate custodial sentence for an indictable offence, 2008 to 2010 ,  England and Wales 
			 Number of offenders 
			  2008 2009 2010 
			 All offenders aged 18 to 24 sentenced to immediate custody 28,592 28,238 25,955 
			 Offenders aged 18 to 24 receiving their first immediate custodial sentence 11,344 11,623 10,601

Young Offenders

Jenny Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many of those sentenced to a custodial or community sentence in England and Wales in each year between 2008 and 2011 were first time offenders; and how many and what proportion of these were aged between 18 and 24.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows the number and proportion of first time offenders sentenced to immediate custody or a community sentence for an indictable offence between 2008 and 2010, in England and Wales, as recorded on the police national computer. The table also provides a breakdown for offenders aged between 18 and 24. These are the latest available figures for a calendar year and are derived from the data used to produce table A7.12 in Criminal Justice System Statistics, England and Wales 2010. Equivalent figures for 2011 are not yet available.
	These figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.
	
		
			 First time offenders receiving an immediate custodial sentence or a community sentence for an indictable offence, by age, 2008 to 2010, England and Wales 
			 Number of offenders 
			  2008 2009 2010 
			 Community sentences    
			 Offenders of all ages 11,511 11,537 12,309 
			 Offenders aged 18 to 24 3,283 3,207 3,400 
			 Proportion of offenders aged 18 to 24 (%) 29 28 28 
			     
			 Immediate custodial sentences    
			 Offenders of all ages 9,699 9,054 8,468 
		
	
	
		
			 Offenders aged 18 to 24 2,335 2,242 2,023 
			 Proportion of offenders aged 18 to 24(%) 24 25 24

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Action for Employment

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what contracts his Department has with A4e; and what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary value is of each such contract.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not have any contracts with A4e and has not transacted with A4e.

Departmental Pay

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many officials in (a) his Department and (b) the non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible are paid (i) £100,000 and (ii) £142,500 or more per annum.

Gregory Barker: The details of senior salaries are published on the internet via Data.gov.uk and on individual websites. The following table sets out the hyperlinks for the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC), the Coal Authority (CA), Committee on Climate Change (CCC), Civil Nuclear Police Authority (CNPA) and Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA).
	
		
			 Department Type URL 
			 DECC   
			  Organogram http://reference.data.gov.uk/gov-structure/organogram/?dept=decc&post=l 
			  Datafile http://www.decc.gov.uk/media/viewfile.ashx?filetype=4&filepath=11/access-information/3672-decc-senior-staff-dataset-30911.csv&minwidth-true 
			    
			 CA Organogram http://reference.data.gov.uk/gov-structure/organogram/?pubbod=the-coal-authority&post=1 
			  Datafile http://coal.decc.gov.uk/Media/viewfile.ashx?FilePath=coal/AboutUs/Transparency/3717-senior-staff-and-salary-data-for-the-coal-authorit.csv&filetype=4&minwidth=true 
			    
			 CCC Datafile http://hmccc.s3.amazonaws.com/300911-CCC-Organogram-v3-senior-data.csv 
			    
			 CNPA Organogram http://reference.data.gov.uk/gov-structure/organogram/?pubbod=cnpacivil-nuclear-constabulary&post=CC 
			  Annual Report http://www.cnpa.police.uk/files/annual_report_2010_11.pdf 
			    
			 NDA Organogram http://reference.data.gov.uk/gov-structure/organogram/?pubbod=nda&post=A 
			  Datafile http://www.nda.gov.uk/documents/loader.cfm?csModule=security/getfile&PageID=46535 
		
	
	The organogram data are as of 30 September 2011 and are updated on a six monthly basis.

Departmental Senior Civil Servants

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many senior civil servants left his Department and its public bodies in each month since May 2010; what their names are; what the rate of turnover of senior civil servants in his Department was during this period; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: The following table sets out the number of senior civil servants who have left the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) or its public bodies since May 2010. The public bodies include Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), Civil Nuclear Police Authority (CNPA) and Coal Authority (CA).
	
		
			 Department/public body Month Number 
			 DECC June 2010 1 
			 DECC August 2010 1 
			 NDA August 2010 1 
			 DECC October 2010 1 
			 DECC November 2010 1 
			 DECC February 2011 2 
			 DECC March 2011 1 
			 DECC April 2011 1 
			 CA April 2011 4 
			 CNPA May 2011 2 
			 DECC June 2011 1 
			 DECC July 2011 2 
			 DECC October 2011 2 
			 NDA December 2011 1 
		
	
	The names of people are not being disclosed as it would not be appropriate to provide the names of senior civil servants who are no longer in government employment. The current turnover rate for the 12 month period to January 2012 for senior civil servants in DECC is 4.37%.

Electricity

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to paragraph 2.1.20, page 32 of Planning our electric future: a White Paper for secure, affordable and low-carbon electricity, which international examples his Department has assessed.

Charles Hendry: In the July 2011 White Paper, “Planning our electric future: a White Paper for secure, affordable and low-carbon electricity”, DECC committed to undertake an assessment over the coming year to determine whether DECC should take further steps to improve the support and incentives for the efficient use of electricity—including consideration of international examples.
	This assessment is now under way. With support from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, information on potentially relevant examples is being gathered from a wide range of electricity markets including those in the United States of America, across Europe and in other relevant countries. The assessment will complete by summer 2012.

Electricity

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to page 13 of Planning our electric future: a White Paper for secure, affordable and low-carbon electricity, what progress his Department has made on assessing whether it should take further steps to improve the support and incentives for the efficient use of electricity; and if he will publish his assessment.

Charles Hendry: In the July 2011 White Paper, ‘Planning our electric future: a White Paper for secure, affordable and low-carbon electricity’, DECC committed to undertake an assessment over the coming year to determine whether DECC should take further steps to improve the support and incentives for the efficient use of electricity.
	This assessment is now under way. It includes analysis of the technical potential for further electricity demand reduction, the barriers to reducing electricity demand, and the impact of current policies on electricity demand. It also includes consideration of what policy measures might further incentivise demand reduction, and whether any such measures are necessary and appropriate. This work will complete by summer 2012.

Electricity

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to page 22 of Planning our electric future: a White Paper for secure, affordable and low-carbon electricity, what progress he has made towards designing the Capacity Mechanism.

Charles Hendry: In the electricity market reform (EMR) White Paper—Planning our electric future: a White Paper for secure, affordable and low-carbon electricity(1)—the Government signalled their intention to introduce a capacity mechanism—that is, an intervention designed to ensure sufficient reliable capacity. A consultation on potential models for a capacity mechanism was included in the White Paper.
	On 15 December 2011 Government responded to the consultation through the publication of a technical update(2) to the White Paper. This set out Government's choice of model—a Capacity Market—and how this model will work at a high level.
	Work on the detailed design of the Capacity Market will continue throughout 2012 and into 2013.
	As outlined in the December technical update, Government intend to publish an EMR policy update alongside publication of draft primary legislation. This will include a detailed transition and implementation plan in order to provide investors with greater certainty over the Government's EMR proposals in the longer term.
	(1)http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/policy-legislation/emr/2210-emr-white-paper-full-version.pdf
	(2)http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/legislation/white_papers/emr_wp_2011/tech_update/tec_update.aspx

Energy: Meters

Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will provide reassurance to industry that an effective and timely (a) foundation stage and (b) full smart meter rollout will be delivered.

Charles Hendry: Energy suppliers are responsible for planning the installation of smart meters for their customers. The Government's role is to provide a framework that enables the timely roll-out of smart meters in a way which benefits most consumers. During foundation stage, which will build readiness for mass roll-out, the Government are putting the necessary regulatory frameworks in place, defining technical specifications for smart metering equipment, procuring the DCC communications services, and facilitating testing and trialling of equipment, systems, processes and consumer engagement strategies. Mass roll-out is expected to start in late 2014 and energy suppliers will be required to take all reasonable steps to install smart meters for their domestic and smaller non-domestic customers by 2019.

Energy: Private Rented Housing

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the proportion of tenants in receipt of housing benefit in properties in the private rented sector with an energy efficiency rating of (a) A, (b) B, (c) C, (d) D, (e) E, (f) F and (g) G.

Gregory Barker: Data on housing benefit and energy efficiency are available from the English Housing Survey, run by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). The most recent data available from this survey are for the year 2009. Housing benefit receipt is measured on a household level rather than an individual level. The data in the following table shows the proportion of households in the private rented sector in each energy efficiency band that contain householders in receipt of housing benefit.
	
		
			 Energy efficiency band Proportion of households in the private rented sector that receive some housing benefit (%) 
			 A-C 19 
			 D 25 
			 E 24 
			 F 28 
			 G 24 
			 Note: Some of these figures are based on small sample sizes. Therefore these data should be treated with caution, as a considerable degree of uncertainty exists around some of the estimates. Also, the small sample sizes involved mean that dwellings in energy efficiency bands A-C have been grouped together.

Fuel Poverty

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of people in fuel poverty in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) Nottinghamshire, (c) the East Midlands and (d) England and Wales in the last year for which figures are available.

Gregory Barker: Fuel poverty is measured at a household level rather than an individual level. In 2009, the most recent year for which data are available (except for Wales—see note below), the number of households in fuel poverty for each of these areas was as follows:
	
		
			 Area Number of households in fuel poverty Percentage of households that are fuel poor 
			 (a) Ashfield constituency 9,500 22 
			 (b) Nottinghamshire 95,000 21 
			 (c) East midlands 398,000 21 
			 (d) England 3,964,000 18 
			 (e) Wales 332,000 26 
			 Note: The most recent data available on fuel poverty in Wales are for the year 2008.

Meters

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many meetings he has had with each energy supplier to discuss the smart meter programme.

Charles Hendry: I hold regular meetings with representatives of energy supply companies to discuss the smart meter programme, including meetings of the Smart Meter Ministerial/Industry Rollout Group and other bilateral discussions. The Smart Meter Ministerial/Industry Rollout Group met on the following dates:
	3 November 2010,
	24 January 2011,
	23 May 2011 and
	11 October 2011.

Nuclear Installations: Security

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether the agreement to extend co-operation on civil nuclear security and share best practice on security at nuclear sites as part of the UK/France summit on 17 February 2012, will permit the sharing of nuclear security information on UK civil nuclear installations with (a) French nuclear regulatory authorities and (b) civil nuclear installation operators in France that is not legal to be made public in the UK.

Charles Hendry: The framework is between the UK and French Governments and Ministers will agree the full detail of the work later this year. If Ministers decide that respective UK and French regulatory authorities may share best practice, potentially including security classified information, it will be exchanged in accordance with existing treaties which ensure its mutual protection. Civil nuclear operators are not within the scope the framework.

Radioactive Waste

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what sources of independent expertise he expects will be consulted by his Department when calculating the radioactive waste transfer price payable by utility companies developed under the waste transfer pricing methodology for the disposal of higher activity wastes from new nuclear power stations; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: The manner in which the Expected Price will be determined is set out in the Government's ‘Waste Transfer Pricing Methodology for the disposal of higher activity waste from new nuclear power stations’, published in December 2012. The Government consulted widely in developing this methodology, including a pre-consultation process and two public consultation exercises, in which a wide range of independent views were considered.
	The Expected Price will be set in accordance with the published methodology. The Government currently have no plans to involve independent bodies in the derivation of the Expected Price but the Government will have access to a range of expertise both within and external to Government to ensure that the published methodology is properly applied. In particular the price will be derived based on cost estimates, provided by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), which is the body responsible for building and operating a geological disposal facility, and the Government's assessment of the uplifts that should be applied to those estimates to reflect risk and uncertainty will be derived with input from external financial advisers.

Radioactive Waste

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he will take to ensure that any risk premium applied under the radioactive waste transfer pricing arrangements (a) is proportionate and (b) reflects the financial risks being assumed by the Government.

Charles Hendry: The manner in which the risk premium will be determined under the waste transfer pricing framework is set out in the “Waste Transfer Pricing Methodology for the disposal of higher activity waste from new nuclear power stations”, which was published on 8 December 2011. The Methodology sets out how the risk premium will be determined so that it is proportionate and properly reflects the financial risks being assumed by the Government. This is available at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Consultations/nuclear-waste-transfer-pricing/3798-waste-transfer-pricing-methodology.pdf

Radioactive Waste

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what provisions exist for transparency and external scrutiny of the Government's cost estimates for the default pricing mechanism for the radioactive waste transfer price mechanism; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: As set out in the “Waste Transfer Pricing Methodology for the disposal of higher activity waste from new nuclear power stations”, published in December 2011, the default pricing mechanism will apply in the scenario where the implementation of geological disposal is much slower than currently anticipated and hence the waste transfer price is required to be set, at the end of the specified “Deferral Period”, before a site has been selected for a geological disposal facility.
	The default price will be set by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey), having regard to such cost modelling as would be available at the time. This scenario, which the Government consider unlikely, would not arise until around 2050. Were this scenario to arise, arrangements regarding the preparation of cost estimates would be made nearer the time.

Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many solar PV installations qualifying for the feed-in tariff scheme there have been since 13 December 2011.

Gregory Barker: As of 21 February, Ofgem FITs central register shows 77,021 solar PV installation accredited for FITs since 13 December 2011.

Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral answer of 9 February 2012, Official Report, column 476, on feed-in tariffs, what the evidential basis is for the statement that a very small number of people were enjoying bumper returns; how many people were receiving such returns; and what the average level of such returns was.

Gregory Barker: The impact assessment published alongside the phase 1 response of the comprehensive review sets out our estimates of PV costs, installation numbers and rate of return under current tariffs. These documents can be accessed at:
	www.decc.gov.uk/fits
	They show, for example, that there were around 230,000 small scale <4 kW PV installations by 29 January 2012. Evidence suggests that the return on investment for such installations in April 2012, if they were to receive the previous generation tariff of 43p/kWh, could be around 15%, which is well in excess of the 5% that the tariffs were intended to deliver. This return is highly dependent on the specifics of the installation such as price paid and location.

Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral answer of 9 February 2012, Official Report, column 479, on feed-in tariffs 
	(1)  what forecast his Department has made of the number of people expected to be employed in the solar energy industry in (a) 2013, (b) 2014, (c) 2015, (d) 2016, (e) 2017, (f) 2018, (g) 2019 and (h) 2020;
	(2)  what the evidential basis is for the statement that his Department expects a steady growth in the number of people employed in the solar industry until 2015 and beyond.

Gregory Barker: Projections and uncertainty factors considered for the number of jobs associated with the solar industry are set out in the impact assessment supporting the current consultation on solar PV cost control and can be accessed at:
	www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Consultations/fits-review/4320-feedin-tariffs-review-phase-2a-draft-impact-asses.pdf
	This shows estimates for jobs associated with solar PV in 2012-14. We have not prepared individual projections for each year from 2013 to 2020.

Warm Front Scheme

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to ensure that those employed administering the Warm Front scheme are transferred to projects supported by the Green Deal.

Gregory Barker: The Government funded Warm Front scheme will come to an end in March 2013. From the end of 2012 the installation of energy efficiency measures will be provided through the Green Deal and new energy company obligation. The Green Deal is a private market mechanism and providers will make their own commercial decisions on staffing within their organisations to deliver the initiative.
	The Green Deal will remove financial and practical barriers to energy efficiency measures and will promote uptake and stimulate the market; this will lead to more activity and more jobs. The supply chain could support 100,000 jobs within five years and we expect that some of these will be filled by those with prior experience of the energy efficiency sector.

Warm Front Scheme: Liverpool

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many people in (a) Liverpool, Wavertree constituency and (b) Liverpool city region received Warm Front grants in each year since 2008-09.

Gregory Barker: The numbers of households assisted in (a) Liverpool, Wavertree constituency and (b) Liverpool city region are as follows:
	
		
			  2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 (1) Total 
			 Liverpool, Wavertree 1,093 1,229 690 113 3,125 
			 Liverpool region 5,402 5,621 3,203 495 14,721 
			 (1) Figures up to 31 January 2012

Warm Front Scheme: North East

Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many people in the North East received Warm Front grants in each of the last five years.

Gregory Barker: The number of households assisted in the North East in each of the last five years are as follows:
	
		
			 North East (2) Number 
			 2007-08 18,865 
			 2008-09 13,721 
			 2009-10 11,651 
			 2010-11 12,432 
			 2011-12(1) 2,076 
			 Total 58,745 
			 (1) Figures up to 31 January 2012 (2) North East region covered by the Government offices for the regions.

Wind Power

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will order a review of regulation ETSU-R97 on wind farm noise planning.

Charles Hendry: The Government are already carrying out an assessment of the ETSU-R-97. In July 2011 DECC published an independent report by Hayes McKenzie, which found that this guidance is appropriate for assessing the noise impacts from wind farms. The report recommended that good practice advice should be produced to confirm, and in some instances, clarify the way the guidance should be implemented in practice. The Institute of Acoustics is taking forward work to develop such advice and expect to publish it in the summer.
	The Hayes McKenzie report can be found at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/meeting-energy-demand/wind/2033-how-noise-impacts-are-considered.pdf

Wind Power

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will take steps to prevent the construction of wind turbines in low wind-speed areas.

Charles Hendry: In recognition of falling capital costs, and to continue to incentivise developments in the areas of best wind resource, the Government's Renewable Obligation (RO) consultation proposed that from 2013 new onshore wind accreditations would receive a 10% reduction on current support. In the consultation we estimated that the reduction would reduce deployment of onshore wind over the lifetime of the RO by. 350 MW to 490 MW. The reduction is likely to impact on the least efficient proposals e.g. those in lower wind-speed areas.

Wind Power

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what protocols he has established for end-of-life provision for wind turbines.

Charles Hendry: There are mechanisms in place to ensure that wind farms onshore and offshore are decommissioned safely by the developers of those projects when they cease operating. Offshore, there is a statutory decommissioning scheme which allows the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to compel wind farm developers to submit costed programmes for the removal of their projects with funds set aside for that purpose. For onshore wind, requirements for the decommissioning of a site will normally be set out as a condition of consent or planning approval. Developers will work with the relevant local planning authorities to make the necessary arrangements for the removal of wind turbines and for the land to be restored to an acceptable condition, the full costs of which are borne by the developer.

Wind Power

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what regulations govern the disposal of carbon fibre blades from wind turbines.

Charles Hendry: Carbon fibre blades from wind turbines are classified as waste and are governed by the same regulations that cover all waste management.
	The regulations which cover the management of most wastes are:
	the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Section 34 sets out the Duty of Care as respects waste which requires that waste is only transferred to an authorised person and that a written description must accompany the transfer of the waste;
	the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 which require that waste must be recovered or disposed of at a permitted site or one which is exempt from the need for a permit; and
	the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 which specify in Regulation 12 that the waste hierarchy must be applied to the treatment and disposal of waste.

Wind Power

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will take steps to prevent the construction of any further onshore wind developments until a distribution grid network is in place.

Charles Hendry: In order to access the network and sell its electricity, a prospective generator of any type needs to apply for a grid connection date to either National Grid for Transmission or, for distribution, the relevant Distribution Network Operator. The grid connection date offered by the network company is based on the generator's request and the time scale required to complete the necessary grid connection works. The build programme for the generation project is therefore consistent with the grid connection date. The construction of onshore wind developments therefore does already take into account grid connection time scales.

HEALTH

Cancer: Drugs

Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department plans to take in respect of strategic health authorities (SHAs) which have exhausted their allocation of the Cancer Drugs Fund; and what will happen to the Cancer Drugs Fund budget of SHAs which do not spend their total allocated budget in this financial year.

Paul Burstow: £200 million is available for the Cancer Drugs Fund in 2011-12. This is comprised of £140 million allocated to the national health service and a further £60 million made available for strategic health authorities (SHA) to draw down as needed. The Department is monitoring SHA spend from the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) and transfers between SHAs can be considered if a good reason arises. The total available funding is £200 million each year and is only available to the NHS to allow patients to access the additional cancer drugs that their doctors recommend for them through the CDF in that year. The NHS is not permitted to retain CDF under spends.

Cancer: Drugs

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cancer patients in (a) the north-west and (b) England have accessed drugs through the Cancer Drug Fund since its inception.

Paul Burstow: The Cancer Drugs Fund of £600 million over three years was launched on 1 April 2011 to help thousands of cancer patients access the drugs their clinicians believe will help them. We also made an additional £50 million available to strategic health authorities (SHAs) in 2010-11.
	SHAs have reported that between October 2010 and the end of January 2012, funding allocated so far has helped 11,871 cancer patients in England to access the additional cancer drugs their clinicians recommended for them. 1,091 patients were funded by NHS North West.

Cancer: Health Services

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the end-of-life criteria applied by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence for (a) breast cancer, (b) kidney cancer and (c) prostate cancer.

Paul Burstow: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is an independent body and is responsible for the development of the processes and methods used in the development of its guidance. NICE developed the end of life criteria used in its technology appraisals through consultation with stakeholders.
	The application of NICE's supplementary advice on the appraisal of life-extending, end-of-life treatments, along with patient access schemes, has been a relevant factor in NICE technology appraisal guidance on a number of treatments, including Sutent (sunitinib) for the first-line treatment of advanced and/or metastatic renal cell carcinoma and Votrient (pazopanib) for the first-line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma.

Cancer: Health Services

Jim Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to improve cancer services for men since May 2010; and what assessment he has made of the effect such steps have had on outcomes.

Paul Burstow: “Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer” aims to save an additional 5,000 lives every year by 2014-15, aiming to narrow the inequalities gap at the same time. Improving outcomes for men with cancer will be essential in meeting this aim. The majority of action set out in the Strategy will improve outcomes for everyone, such as the national awareness campaign on bowel cancer and the pilot of flexible sigmoidoscopy screening for bowel cancer. However, a number of actions have taken place specifically targeting men.
	In 2010-11, as part of the National Awareness and Early Diagnosis Initiative (NAEDI), the Department funded two local projects whose primary target audience was men. These were a Peninsula Primary Care Trusts (PCT) collaborative on lung cancer and an East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT and Hastings and Rother PCT project on lung and bowel cancer.
	Other 2010-11 NAEDI projects, although not specifically targeting men, ran activities to promote the campaigns in locations such as sport stadiums. These included: Brighton and Hove PCT partnering with the football club community arm Albion in the Community to deliver its bowel cancer community outreach programme; Hammersmith and Fulham PCT promoting their lung cancer awareness campaign at a match at Queens Park Ranger's stadium; and Thames Valley PCT working with Reading Football Club (FC) to raise awareness of bowel and lung cancer during football matches.
	As part of the 2011-12 local NAEDI campaigns, projects are targeting both men and women, but are co-ordinating activity to specifically target men. For example, the Manchester collaboration organised an event at the Belle Vue Greyhound Stadium on 26 January 2012 to launch their campaign to raise awareness of the symptom of blood in urine, common to both kidney and bladder cancers. NHS Nottingham City started their campaign activities at The City Ground, home of Nottingham Forest FC, with a local consultant urologist and a team of colleagues taking part in a half time penalty shoot out to raise awareness of the campaign messages, highlighting the symptom of blood in urine. Notts County FC and Nottingham Rugby Club will also be running supporting activity.
	Given that fewer men take up bowel screening than women, the Department commissioned the Men's Health Forum to look at why this might be and to recommend actions that will encourage more men to actively consider taking up the offer of screening. The final report was presented to the National Cancer Equality Initiative Implementation Advisory Group in January 2012. The report is being widely disseminated, and the Men's Health Forum is considering a research study to test the findings and other opportunities to promote bowel screening for men.
	The Department, the National Cancer Action Team and The Prostate Cancer Charity have worked with Newham PCT and Newham University Hospital NHS Trust to pilot the Newham Prostate Health Drop-in Clinic at the Newham African-Caribbean Resource Centre. A formal evaluation will be published in due course. Other activity on prostate cancer has included: the Prostate Cancer Advisory Group developing “Five Key Points Every GP Should Know About Prostate Cancer”, which were published on the website of Prostate Action:
	www.prostateaction.org.uk
	in December 2011, with a link on NHS Choices; the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence are currently reviewing their 2008 prostate cancer clinical guideline, from which a Quality Standard will be developed; and the National Clinical Audit Programme is currently developing a procurement exercise for a national prostate cancer clinical audit.
	In 2011, the Government supported Blue September, a nationwide awareness and fundraising initiative about all the cancers that effect men. The campaign aims to raise funds for more work by the Men's Health Forum to raise men's awareness of cancer and help them to reduce the risk of developing and dying from cancer by making better lifestyle choices and seeking help sooner rather than later. The Government have already agreed to support Blue September 2012.
	It is too early to assess what effect these actions have had on outcomes.

Cancer: Health Services

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much and what proportion of the cancer budget was spent on (a) chemotherapy, (b) radiotherapy, (c) surgery and (d) other items in each of the last five years; and what estimate he has made of how much and what proportion will be spent on each in 2012-13;
	(2)  what the average cost per treatment was to treat cancer patients using (a) chemotherapy, (b) surgery and (c) radiotherapy in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(3)  what the budget for diagnosis and treatment of cancer was in each of the last five years; and what the budget will be in (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14 and (c) 2014-15.

Paul Burstow: In the last five years the vast majority of cancer spend has been funded from primary care trust (PCT) baseline allocations. PCTs have local discretion as to how they spend their overall baseline allocations, including in the area of cancer care, to allow commissioning to best reflect the needs of local populations. Budgets for specific disease areas are not identified centrally within baseline allocations.
	In the following table, programme budgeting data for the estimated national health service expenditure (£ billion) on the treatment and management of cancers and tumours in the last five, years have been provided. Expenditure figures are from estimated England level programme budgeting data, which are calculated using PCT and strategic health authority programme budgeting returns and Department resource accounts data. Figures also include an estimation of special health authority expenditure.
	Spend on treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are included in these figures, but cannot currently be identified. Expenditure on some service areas or activities is excluded if it is not possible to make a reasonable estimation of expenditure by specific disease area. For this reason expenditure on general practitioner services, diagnostics and some out-patient services are excluded from estimates of expenditure on cancers and tumours.
	
		
			  £ billion 
			 2006-07 4.35 
			 2007-08 4.96 
			 2008-09 5.13 
			 2009-10 5.86 
			 2010-11 5.81 
		
	
	We have made no estimate of the average cost of treating patients with chemotherapy, surgery or radiotherapy. Cancer treatments can vary greatly from patient to patient, both in terms of the types of treatment they receive and the duration of those treatments.
	For the publication of the ‘Cancer Reform Strategy’ in 2007, the Department commissioned a one-off analysis that estimated total NHS spend on cancer in £ millions per annum across a range of categories including surgery, radiotherapy and drugs (including chemotherapy). The results of the analysis were presented in a graph on page 119 of the Cancer Reform Strategy, a copy of which has already been placed in the Library and is available on the Department's website:
	www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_081007.pdf
	The National Cancer Intelligence Network, working with the Department, is looking into the possibility carrying out some work to cost cancer patient pathways. This would provide costs of the different elements of the pathways.

Cancer: Health Services

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated using (a) chemotherapy, (b) radiotherapy and (c) surgery in each of the last five years; and what estimate he has made of the numbers who will be treated in each category in (i) 2012-13, (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15.

Paul Burstow: Information concerning the number of finished consultant episodes (FCEs) where there was a primary diagnosis of cancer for and the treatment provided was coded as either “chemotherapy”, “radiotherapy” or “other treatment” for the years 2006-07 to 2010-11 is shown in the following table. The coding for “other treatment” has been included instead of “surgery” as surgery is too broad a term to identify using clinical codes in Hospital Episode Statistics (HES).
	The majority of radiotherapy procedures, and a number of chemotherapy procedures are carried out in an outpatient setting. As the collection of outpatient procedure data is not currently mandated, the numbers provided for in-patient treatment may not be a true reflection of the number of patients receiving these treatments.
	Some estimates have been made of future likely demand for radiotherapy using the modelling tool “Malthus”, allowing commissioners to consider the volumes of radiotherapy they should be commissioning for their populations, but we do not make estimates nationally about different treatment types.
	
		
			 A count FCEs (1)  with a primary diagnosis (2)  of cancer by treatment procedure (3,4,5)  for the years 2006-07 to 2010-11 (6) 
			 Treatment 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Chemotherapy 210,675 373,365 432,700 432,222 452,238 
			 Radiotherapy 7,714 13,459 15,626 17,999 18,466 
			 Other treatment 800,945 666,720 664,104 709,993 734,045 
			 (1) FCEs: FCEs should not be described as a count of people as the same person may have been admitted on more than one occasion. Patients receiving both chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the same episode will also be counted against each treatment in the data provided. (2) Primary diagnosis: The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the HES data set and provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital. ICD-10 Codes used are C00-C97 Malignant neoplasms. (3 )Main procedure: The first recorded procedure or intervention in each episode is usually the most resource intensive procedure or intervention performed during the episode. It is appropriate to use main procedure when looking at admission details (e.g. time waited), but a more complete count of episodes with a particular procedure is obtained by looking at the main and the secondary procedures. (4 )Number of episodes with a (named) main or secondary procedure: The number of episodes where the procedure (or intervention) was recorded in any of the 24 (12 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and four prior to 2002-03) procedure fields in a HES record. A record is included only once in each count, even if the procedure is recorded in more than one procedure field of the record. Note that more procedures are carried out than episodes with a main or secondary procedure. For example, patients undergoing a “cataract operation” would tend to have at least two procedures—removal of the faulty lens and the fitting of a new one—counted in a single episode. (5 )Procedure codes used to produce data: The chemotherapy figures are produced for those episodes with a main procedure of: X70—Procurement of drugs for chemotherapy for neoplasm Bands 1-5; X71—Procurement of drugs for chemotherapy for neoplasm Bands 6-10; X72—Delivery of chemotherapy for neoplasm; or X73— Delivery of oral chemotherapy for neoplasm. The radiotherapy figures are produced for those episodes with a main or secondary procedure of X65—Radiotherapy delivery. Episodes with a main procedure of chemotherapy and any secondary radiotherapy procedure will be included in both categories. Other treatment figures are episodes with a main or secondary procedure of A00—010, 015—X97 but excluding any episodes that are chemotherapy or radiotherapy as defined above. These codes include both diagnostic and treatment procedures including non-surgical treatments. (6 )Assessing growth through time: HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice. For example, apparent reductions in activity may be due to a number of procedures which may now be undertaken in out-patient settings and so no longer include in admitted patient HES data. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Cervical Cancer: Screening

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  with reference to his Department's publication Improving outcomes: a strategy for cancer, what steps he plans to take to highlight the benefits of women attending cervical cancer screening appointments;
	(2)  what plans he has to encourage more women over the age of 50 years to attend cervical cancer screening; and what assessment he has made of the relationship between levels of cervical cancer screenings and mortality.

Paul Burstow: “Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer”, published on 12 January 2011, makes clear the important role that cervical screening plays in preventing cervical cancer. The strategy also notes that some groups and communities are not accessing cancer screening services.
	To encourage all eligible women aged 25 to 65 to attend routine cervical screening we are working with NHS Cancer Screening Programmes, the Advisory Committee on Cervical Screening and stakeholders to refine the information we provide to women when they are invited for screening so all are fully supported to make an informed choice to attend.
	On 26 January 2012, NHS Cancer Screening Programmes and Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust jointly held an event at the King's Fund looking at challenges to screening uptake among black and minority ethnic (BME) communities. The meeting updated attendees on current data about challenges to improve screening uptake among BME groups and offered an opportunity to share best practice. Documents and links from the event have been circulated to all attendees to help promote information on cervical screening in their respective communities.
	NHS Cancer Screening Programmes has funded an award winning campaign targeting lesbian and bisexual women in the north west of England to raise awareness about the need to attend for regular cervical screening tests. The Lesbian and Gay Foundation's “Are You Ready for Your Screen Test?” campaign was the winner of the Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust 2011 Cervical Screening Award.
	To tackle low uptake among women aged 25-29, the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme has recently commissioned a study costing over £1 million to determine which interventions are effective at increasing screening uptake among women receiving their first invitation from the NHS Cervical Screening Programme. The “Strategies to increase cervical screening uptake at first invitation (STRATEGIC)” study is trialling interventions such as internet appointment booking, the provision of personal support through nurse navigators and Human Papilloma Virus self sampling.
	Cervical cancer screening reduces cervical cancer incidence and mortality. In May 2004, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organisation, concluded that organised and quality controlled cervical screening can achieve an 80%, reduction in the mortality from cervical cancer. In July 2004, researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine published a paper in The Lancet that concluded that cervical screening has prevented an epidemic that would have killed about one in 65 of all British women born since 1950 and culminated in about 6,000 deaths per year in this country. 80% or more of these deaths, up to 5,000 per year, are likely to be prevented by screening. This means that about 100,000 women will have been saved from premature death by the cervical screening programme by 2030.

Chief Social Worker: Job Creation

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had on the creation of a post of chief social worker for England.

Paul Burstow: Ministers from the Department of Health and Department for Education have discussed the appointment of a chief social worker for England and are committed to the appointment taking place later this year. We will set out more details in the forthcoming social care White Paper.

Chief Social Worker: Job Creation

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with Ministers in the devolved Administrations on the creation of a chief social worker in each constituent part of the UK.

Paul Burstow: Department of Health and the Department for Education Ministers have not been involved in any formal discussions with Ministers from the devolved Administrations on the creation of a chief social worker in each nation.

Deficiency Diseases: Medical Treatments

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what drugs have been licensed for the treatment of rickets; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Rickets that is caused by a dietary deficiency or a lack of sun exposure is usually treated by oral calcium and vitamin D supplements or by increasing dietary intake of calcium-rich foods, while vitamin D injections are usually used to treat rickets or osteomalacia (adult soft bones) due to poor absorption of vitamin D, associated with underlying kidney, liver or gut disease.
	In the United Kingdom there are currently 16 licensed products specifically indicated for the treatment of rickets. These contain different types of vitamin D; alfacalcidol, ergocalciferol and colecalciferol in varying strengths and pharmaceutical forms, in some cases in combination with calcium. These are listed in Table 1.
	There are other medicinal products in the UK which are not specifically indicated for rickets but are licensed for use in the treatment of vitamin A, D and E deficiencies and are therefore of clinical significance in its treatment or prevention. These are listed in Table 2.
	More recently, there has been a drive to manufacture single active oral preparations of both high and low strength vitamin D products to be used in the prevention of simple vitamin D deficiency. A recently granted low strength single active product is Fultium—D 800IU capsules which contains 800IU of cholecalciferol, equivalent to 20 micrograms, of vitamin D3. It is licensed for use in adults and children over 12 years old for the prevention and treatment of vitamin D deficiency, or as an adjunct to specific therapy for osteoporosis in patients with vitamin D deficiency or at risk of vitamin D insufficiency. There are other products in the pipeline.
	
		
			 Table l: Products indicated for the treatment of rickets 
			 Product name PL number Drug substance Formulation strength 
			 Oral preparations    
			 One-Alpha® capsules PL 00043/0050 Alfacalcidol 0.5 microgram 
			 One-Alpha® Drops PL 00043/0207 Alfacalcidol 2 micrograms 
			 Alfad® Capsules PL 00289/0459 Alfacalcidol 0.25 microgram 
			 Alfad® Capsules PL 00289/0460 Alfacalcidol 0.5 microgram 
			 Alfad® Capsules PL 00289/0461 Alfacalcidol 1 microgram 
			 Alfacalcidol Capsules PL 00289/1555 Alfacalcidol 0.25 microgram 
			 Alfacalcidol Capsules PL 00289/1556 Alfacalcidol 0.5 microgram 
			 Alfacalcidol Capsules PL 00289/1557 Alfacalcidol 1 microgram 
			 Alfacalcidol Capsules PL 00043/0050 Alfacalcidol 1 microgram 
			 Alfacalcidol Capsules PL 00043/0052 Alfacalcidol 0.25 microgram 
			 Alfacalcidol Capsules PL 12762/0185 Alfacalcidol 1 microgram 
			 Alfacalcidol Capsules PL 12762/0186 Alfacalcidol 0.25 microgram 
			 Calcium and Ergocalciferol Tablets PL 00142/5425R Ergocalciferol 10 micrograms 
			     
			 Parenteral preparations    
			 One-Alpha® Injection PL 00043/0183 Alfacalcidol 2 micrograms 
			 Ergocalciferol Injection PL 36301/0008 Ergocalciferol 300,000 IU 
			 Ergocalciferol Injection PL 36301/0009 Ergocalciferol 600,000 IU 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Products indicated for the treatment of vitamin D deficiency 
			 Product name PL number Drug substance Formulation strength (1) 
			 Oral preparations    
			 Calcichew—D3 Tablets PL 08557/0021 08557/0029 08557/0057 Cholecalciferol and Calcium 5, 10, 20 micrograms 
			 Sandocal + D 600 Effervescent Tablets PL 00030/0216 Cholecalciferol and Calcium 4 micrograms 
		
	
	
		
			 Sandocal + D 1200 Effervescent Tablets PL 00030/0217 Cholecalciferol and Calcium 8 micrograms 
			 Seven Seas Cod Liver Oil Capsules PL 00016/5008R Cholecalciferol, Vitamins A and E 67 IU 
			 Seven Seas Pure Cod Liver Oil PL 01932/0257 Cholecalciferol, Vitamins A and E 200 IU 
			 Mainstay pure cod liver oil PL 01932/0260 Cholecalciferol and Vitamin A 390 IU 
			 (1 )Cholecalciferol. 
		
	
	
		
			 Product name PL number Drug substance Formulation strength 
			 Parent er al preparations    
			 Vitlipid N Adult Emulsion PL 08828/0124 Ergocalciferol,. Vitamins A, E and-K 200 IU 
			 Vitlipid N Infant Emulsion PL 08828/0125 Ergocalciferol, Vitamins A, E and K 400 IU

Departmental Consultants

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultancy is being undertaken for his Department by Mr Matthew Freud; and what the value is of the contract

Simon Burns: Based on the definition of consultancy used by Government procurement, the Department's central procurement system holds no records of contracts for consultancy awarded to Matthew Freud or Freud Communications.
	However, after a competition, the Department awarded a contract to Freud Communications to deliver communications services supporting consumer engagement (public relations) that runs from January to December 2012 with an option to extend. The tendering and bid evaluation process for the consumer engagement (PR) agencies to support the public health agenda was carried out by the Central Office of Information .

Departmental Senior Civil Servants

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many senior civil servants left his Department and its public bodies in each month since May 2010; what their names are; what the rate of turnover of senior civil servants in his Department was during this period; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The numbers of senior civil servants leaving the Department and its agency, the Medicines Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), are given in the following tables, by month, for the period concerned. In total 67 senior civil servants left the core Department and 22 left the MHRA since May 2010. The Department's other public bodies do not employ civil servants except where seconded from the civil service.
	For reasons of personal privacy, it would not be appropriate to provide the names of senior civil servants who are no longer in Government employment.
	The rate of turnover for senior civil servants in the core Department during the period was 16%, and for the MHRA was 11%.
	
		
			 SCS leavers from the core Department 
			  Total 
			 2010  
			 May (1)— 
			 June (1)— 
			 July (1)— 
			 August (1)— 
			 September (1)— 
			 October (1)— 
			 November (1)— 
			 December (1)— 
			 2010 annual total 21 
			   
			 2011  
			 January (1)— 
			 February (1)— 
			 March (1)— 
			 April 0 
			 May 12 
			 June (1)— 
			 July (1)— 
			 August 0 
			 September 8 
			 October (1)— 
			 November (1)— 
			 December (1)— 
			 2011 annual total 42 
			   
			 2012  
			 January (1)— 
			 2012 to date total (1)— 
		
	
	
		
			 SCS leavers from the MHRA 
			  Total 
			 2010  
			 June (1)— 
			 July (1)— 
			 August (1)— 
			 September (1)— 
			 October (1)— 
			 November 0 
			 December (1)— 
			 2010 annual total 7 
			   
			 2011  
			 January (1)— 
			 March (1)— 
			 April (1)— 
			 May (1)— 
			 June 0 
			 July (1)— 
			 September (1)— 
			 October (1)— 
			 November (1)— 
			 December (1)— 
			 2011 annual total 13 
			   
			 2012  
			 January (1)— 
			 2012 to date total (1)— 
			 (1) Indicates 5 or less

Diabetes: Chiropody

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Leicester East of 6 February 2012, Official Report, column 142W, on diabetes: chiropody, which hospitals in England do not have an inpatient podiatry service; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Leicester East (Keith Vaz) on 6 February 2012, Official Report, column 144W.

Drugs: Prices

Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures his Department plans to introduce to support local commissioners in purchasing medicines assessed under the proposed value-based pricing system.

Simon Burns: We have confirmed that we intend to maintain the effect of the current funding direction under the new medicines’ pricing arrangements, so that commissioners consistently fund drugs already recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), as well as drug treatments subject to the value-based pricing regime. In addition to this, NICE will continue to have an important role in providing authoritative advice to clinicians and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) on how new and existing treatments best fit into the treatment for a particular condition.
	In addition to guidance from NICE, when making commissioning decisions, CCGs will be able to draw on the expertise of clinical networks and senates and will be supported by clinical support organisations.

Drugs: Prices

Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what timetable his Department has set for the (a) creation of a value-based pricing system for medicines and (b) launch of any further public consultations on this issue.

Simon Burns: The intention is that the value-based pricing system will apply to new active substances placed on the market from 1 January 2014.
	We ran a full three-month public consultation, “A new value-based approach to the pricing of branded medicines” from December 2010 to March 2011. We published our response on 18 July 2011 and a copy has already been placed in the Library. This summarised the responses received to the consultation and set out the Government's views on the key issues raised. The response welcomed the level of engagement in the consultation from a wide range of stakeholders, and confirmed our intention to continue to engage with patients, clinicians, the national health service, taxpayers, industry and other interested parties as our work to reform the pricing of medicines progresses.

Eyesight: Health Services

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the minimum referral time is between diagnosis of age-related wet macular degeneration and treatment in (a) North Yorkshire and (b) England and Wales.

Simon Burns: The Department does not collect data on the time waited between diagnosis of a condition and treatment for that condition.
	The following table shows the number of finished admission episodes by time waited (between the decision to admit and the admission date for a hospital stay) where there was a primary diagnosis of Macular Degeneration for North Yorkshire and York primary care trust (PCT) and England for the year 2010-11. This information has been provided by the Information Centre for Health and Social Care. These data are for England only. Information for Wales can be requested from the Welsh Assembly.
	
		
			 Time waited North Yorkshire and York PCT England 
			 1 to 7 days 153 2,889 
			 8 to 14 days 81 9,840 
			 15 to 21 days 27 5,095 
			 22 to 28 days 135 7,097 
			 29 to 35 days 164 5,629 
			 36 to 42 days 636 3,525 
			 43 to 49 days 505 2,207 
			 50 to 56 days 73 1,425 
			 57 to 63 days 20 1,717 
			 64 to 70 days 27 1,329 
			 71 to 77 days 17 866 
			 78 to 84 days 10 600 
			 85 to 105 days 13 931 
			 106 to 126 days 6 389 
			 127 days and over 6 431 
			 Unknown 466 12,225 
			 Notes: 1. The data provided includes patients with wet age-related macular degeneration but are not limited to only those patients. 2. The figures do not represent the number of different patients, as the same person may be admitted on more than one occasion. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre

Eyesight: Health Services

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the role of primary care trusts in relation to the treatment of age-related wet macular degeneration.

Simon Burns: Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for commissioning services to meet the health needs of patients in their areas, taking into account Operating Framework priorities and authoritative sources of advice such as guidance produced by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).
	NICE has issued technology appraisal and interventional procedures guidance to the national health service on the treatment of. age-related macular degeneration. NICE'S guidance can be found on its website at:
	http://guidance.nice.org.uk/Topic/Eye
	PCTs are required to fund treatments recommended by NICE technology appraisal guidance.

Eyesight: Health Services

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources his Department provided for the treatment of age-related wet macular degeneration by primary care trusts in (a) York and North Yorkshire and (b) England and Wales in the latest period for which figures are available.

Simon Burns: Treatment services for ophthalmic conditions are funded from primary care trusts' (PCTs) general recurrent revenue allocations, in common with most other elements of health care. General allocations are not attributed to specific services centrally.
	Individual PCTs decide the distribution of resources, after taking account of local and national priorities.
	On 14 December 2011, PCTs were informed of their revenue allocations for 2012-13. These provided PCTs with £91.6 billion to spend on local frontline services, an increase of £2.5 billion, or 2.8%.

Eyesight: Health Services

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on the diagnosis and treatment of age-related wet macular degeneration.

Simon Burns: Since 1 August 2011 the Department has received correspondence from hon. Members, the public and organisations such as the national health service, patient groups and the pharmaceutical industry relating to age-related macular degeneration. The correspondence concerns issues including the availability of drugs for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration and guidance issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

Fertility

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the delayed stakeholder consultation for the NICE fertility guideline to begin; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: This is a matter for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) as an independent body.
	Information on the development of the updated clinical guideline is available on NICE’s website at:
	http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG/WaveR/90

Health and Social Care Bill

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health under what circumstances the full business case and financial details of NHS private finance initiative contracts are made publicly available in advance of such contracts being entered into; and whether these circumstances would change under the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill.

Simon Burns: There is well established guidance about the consultation process and associated information to be made available during the procurement phase of a private finance initiative scheme so that local stakeholders, staff and their representatives are able to comment and respond to options and proposals. It is for the individual national health service procuring bodies themselves to decide on the specific format this should take and the documents this should include. Complete draft full business cases and contracts are generally not made available before contracts are entered into, as these will contain pricing and other commercially sensitive information which might jeopardise the competitive process and the achievement of value for money.
	These arrangements will not be changed by the Health and Social Care Bill.

Health and Social Care Bill

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill would affect the (a) acquisition by Northumbria Healthcare Foundation Trust of North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust and (b) provision of grants by the Government to NHS hospitals for the purposes of paying PFI debts.

Simon Burns: The effect of existing legislation is to allow for the takeover of a national health service trust by another NHS body. Subject to Parliament, the Health and Social Care Bill would amend section 56 of the NHS Act 2006, which covers the current legislative basis for mergers involving NHS foundation trusts (NHSFTs), and make new provisions for foundation trust acquisitions, separations and dissolutions. The provisions are aimed at allowing foundation trusts to innovate by enabling organisational change to occur, removing legislative obstacles and increasing accountability by allowing a foundation trust’s governors to take decisions.
	Mergers involving an NHSFT and an NHS trust would not, in the future, be subject to routine review by the Co-operation and Competition Panel on competition grounds. The Secretary of State for Health could, however, request advice from Monitor by exception, in individual cases, where he considered that such a merger may raise significant competition problems.
	The Bill would not change the power of the Secretary of State to give financial assistance to NHSFTs and NHS trusts.

Health and Social Care Bill

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether services provided through the public health functions vested in (a) him and (b) local authorities would be part of the health service of England under the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill.

Paul Burstow: The Health and Social Care Bill amends the National Health Service Act 2006 to give the Secretary of State for Health the duty to take appropriate steps to protect the health of the people of England and a power to improve the health of the people of England. The Bill also gives local authorities a duty to take appropriate steps to improve the health of the people in their areas. Services or steps taken under these duties will be part of the comprehensive health service in England.
	Part 2 of the Bill also confers a number of health protection functions on the Secretary of State in relation to the United Kingdom, which are wider than the health service in England. These functions are not included in the National Health Service Act 2006. For example, the Bill confers functions in relation to protecting the public of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland from radiation.

Health Services: Armed Forces

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he plans to take to monitor the effectiveness of the e-learning package for GPs to support them in identifying and assisting veterans with mental health disorders; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many GPs have received the e-learning package to support them in identifying and assisting veterans with mental health disorders; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what recent discussions he has had with devolved Administrations on the provision of the e-learning package for GPs to assist them in identifying and helping veterans with mental health problems; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Monitoring arrangements for the veterans' health Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) e-learning package are already in place. The feedback and usage data for the package is monitored on an ongoing basis. The data are collected and reviewed by the RCGP's education team on a monthly basis and summary reports are sent to the Department of Health team at regular intervals.
	The e-learning package was launched in September 2011. In the initial launch and delivery phase up to 1 February, 320 primary care clinicians (eg practising GPs and doctors in training for general practice) have accessed the package.
	Although there have been no specific discussions with the devolved Administrations in relation to the e-learning package, the Department of Health (England) have been keeping representatives for the devolved Administrations regularly updated on the progress made in relation to the implementation of all of the mental health recommendations made by my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr. Murrison), which includes the e-learning package. These updates have taken the form of formal agenda items at Partnership Board meetings (where the devolved Administrations are always represented), as well as an ongoing, open dialogue via e-mail and telephone. It is also worth noting that the veterans' health e-learning package is freely accessible to all, regardless of location. Anyone that wishes to access the material simply needs to log on to the RCGP website and create a user name and password. You do not have to be a GP to do this.

Health Services: Contract

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health under what circumstances financial and other details of commercial contracts for the provision of health services are made publicly available in advance of such contracts being entered into; and whether these circumstances would change under the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill.

Simon Burns: The NHS Standard Contract and National Tariff publications, are mandated for use by commissioners through departmental guidance, these documents are in the public domain. The Health and Social Care Bill envisages similar arrangements continuing in future, which would remain transparent and be made binding on commissioners through secondary legislation.
	It is for commissioners to decide when to tender for services. When tendering for services, commissioners must follow the Department's “Procurement Guide for Commissioners of NHS-funded services”, a copy of which has already been placed in the Library. The guidance is consistent with procurement law, including the application of the UK Public Contracts Regulations to commissioning of health services and reflects overarching principles of transparency, proportionality, non-discrimination and equality of treatment.
	Where the commissioner decides to proceed with procurement this should be notified to providers via NHS Supply2Health. Commissioners' boards must act transparently and both advertise all competitive tenders and notify all new contract awards on NHS Supply2Health and where appropriate the Official Journal of the European Union.
	For competitive tenders, advertising should provide sufficient detail of the services, as well as how the commissioner is to assess bids and decide which provider is awarded the contract to deliver these services.
	These rules would continue to apply in the future, as a minimum.

Hepatitis: Ethnic Groups

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision he plans to make in the forthcoming national liver disease strategy to improve awareness and diagnosis of hepatitis C within the South Asian population.

Anne Milton: One of the themes of the forthcoming national liver disease strategy, which is being developed under the leadership of the National Clinical Director for Liver Disease, Professor Martin Lombard, will be improving earlier detection and diagnosis of liver disease, including hepatitis C in at-risk populations, so that appropriate treatment can be provided.

Hospital Beds

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the bed to qualified staff ratio at (a) Ipswich Hospital, (b) West Suffolk Hospital and (c) Colchester Hospital.

Simon Burns: The following table shows the ratio of qualified clinical staff available beds at Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust, West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust as at 30 September 2010.
	
		
			 Ratio of qualified clinical staff to ‘total available beds’ at Ipswich Hospital,  West Suffolk h ospital  and Colchester h ospital as at 30 September 2010 
			  Medical and dental staff Non-medical clinical staff 
			 Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust 0.63 2.70 
			 Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust 0.62 2.98 
		
	
	
		
			 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 0.53 2.39 
			 Notes: 1. Staff in post figures used to calculate the ratio are headcount as at 30 September 2010, the latest available Workforce Census data. Total available beds figures are for the quarter July to September 2010. 2. The ‘total available beds’ figure is the average daily number of open and staffed beds open overnight in NHS hospitals in England. 3. ‘Non-Medical clinical staff’ are qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff, qualified Allied Health Professionals, qualified Healthcare Scientists, other qualified Scientific, Therapeutic and Technical staff, and qualified Ambulance staff. Sources: 1. The Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census 2. The Health and Social Care Information Centre Medical and Dental Workforce Census 3. Department of Health form KH03

Hospitals: Admissions

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what information his Department holds on the accident and emergency admission rates for each age group at (a) Ipswich hospital, (b) West Suffolk hospital and (c) Colchester hospital in each year since 2005;
	(2)  what information his Department holds on the accident and emergency admission rates at (a) Ipswich hospital, (b) West Suffolk hospital and (c) Colchester hospital in each year since 2005.

Simon Burns: The following table shows accident and emergency (A&E) department attendances by age groups and those attendances that resulted in admittance to hospital for the three years 2007-08 to 2010-11. Data are not available at hospital level and so are provided for Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust, Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust and West. Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust. Data are available only from 2007-08.
	
		
			 A&E attendances by specified age groups and hospital provider and those attendances that resulted in admittance to hospital for the years 2007-08 to 2010-11 
			  Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Age /Year No.  attendances No. admitted % admitted No. attendances No. admitted % admitted No. attendances No.  admitted % admitted 
			 2010-11          
			 0-9 8,619 1,236 14.3 8,081 1,238 15.3 5,695 834 14.6 
			 10-19 10,534 1,061 10.1 7,494 831 11.1 7,189 745 10.4 
			 20-29 10,663 1,595 15.0 8,330 911 10.9 7,468 1,246 16.7 
			 30-39 7,686 1,202 15.6 6,648 1,049 15.8 5,890 1,145 19.4 
			 40-49 7,839 1,507 19.2 6,801 1,443 21.2 6,001 1,317 21.9 
			 50-59 5,819 1,480 25.4 5,446 1,544 28.4 4,559 1,312 28.8 
			 60-69 6,112 2,238 36.6 5,284 1,916 36.3 4,723 1,923 40.7 
			 70-79 6,178 2,998 48.5 5,398 2,892 53.6 4,354 2,462 56.5 
			 80-89 6,650 3,670 55.2 5,541 3,560 64.2 4,561 3,153 69.1 
			 90-99 2,144 1,293 60.3 1,781 1,280 71.9 1,480 1,087 73.4 
			 100 and over 66 35 53.0 56 36 64.3 24 13 54.2 
			 Unknown age 20 — 0.0 — — — 5 — 0.0 
			 All age groups 72,330 18,315 25.3 60,860 16,700 27.4 51,949 15,237 29.3 
			           
			 2009-10          
			 0-9 8,597 1,205 14.0 6,993 908 13.0 5,365 984 18.3 
			 10-19 10,164 1,053 10.4 7,113 741 10.4 7,116 756 10.6 
			 20-29 10,821 1,470 13.6 7,713 965 12.5 6,946 1,091 15.7 
			 30-39 8,071 1,334 16.5 6,092 948 15.6 5,633 1,093 19.4 
			 40-49 7,779 1,618 20.8 6,007 1,204 20.0 5,601 1,275 22.8 
			 50-59 5,827 1,545 26.5 5,066 1,426 28.1 4,173 1,208 28.9 
			 60-69 6,032 2,115 35.1 4,755 1,755 36.9 4,380 1,784 40.7 
			 70-79 6,137 3,020 49.2 5,018 2,553 50.9 3,853 2,056 53.4 
			 80-89 6,530 3,581 54.8 5,191 3,235 62.3 3,928 2,684 68.3 
			 90-99 1,925 1,144 59.4 1,464 1,011 69.1 1,088 795 73.1 
			 100 and over 57 34 59.6 33 20 60.6 39 29 74.4 
			 Unknown age 38 3 7.9 — — — 2 1 50.0 
			 All age groups 71,978 18,122 25.2 55,445 14,766 26.6 48,124 13,756 28.6 
			           
			 2008-09          
			 0-9 9,948 1,014 10.2 6,219 857 13.8 5,175 1,050 20.3 
			 10-19 13,109 1,022 7.8 7,078 748 10.6 7,144 818 11.5 
			 20-29 11,705 1,372 11.7 7,690 883 11.5 6,830 1,111 16.3 
			 30-39 9,210 1,250 13.6 6,118 942 15.4 5,615 1,156 20.6 
			 40-49 9,053 1,467 16.2 5,759 1,137 19.7 5,342 1,271 23.8 
			 50-59 7,005 1,554 22.2 4,731 1,353 28.6 4,129 1,244 30.1 
			 60-69 7,287 2,126 29.2 4,602 1,770 38.5 4,157 1,766 42.5 
		
	
	
		
			 70-79 7,261 2,991 41.2 5,024 2,683 53.4 3,928 2,267 57.7 
			 80-89 7,222 3,702 51.3 5,010 3,176 63.4 4,124 2,898 70.3 
			 90-99 2,010 1,163 57.9 1,373 975 71.0 1,157 894 77.3 
			 100 and over 54 26 48.1 39 26 66.7 35 23 65.7 
			 Unknown age 44 3 6.8 — — — 5 — 0.0 
			 All age groups 83,908 17,690 21.1 53,643 14,550 27.1 47,641 14,498 30.4 
			           
			 2007-08          
			 0-9 10,780 1,045 9.7 5,860 811 13.8 4,749 929 19.6 
			 10-19 15,092 977 6.5 7,083 710 10.0 7,206 757 10.5 
			 20-29 12,825 1,316 10.3 7,396 783 10.6 6,791 1,108 16.3 
			 30-39 10,490 1,356 12.9 5,996 849 14.2 5,570 1,128 20.3 
			 40-49 9,398 1,314 14.0 5,817 1,017 17.5 5,138 1,197 23.3 
			 50-59 7,330 1,336 18.2 4,548 1,153 25.4 4,095 1,241 30.3 
			 60-69 7,690 2,036 26.5 4,165 1,605 38.5 3,901 1,582 40.6 
			 70-79 6,903 2,458 35.6 4,480 2,310 51.6 3,785 2,212 58.4 
			 80-89 6,581 2,954 44.9 4,444 2,762 62.2 3,663 2,569 70.1 
			 90-99 1,887 1,021 54.1 1,295 871 67.3 1,109 843 76.0 
			 100 and over 44 19 43.2 41 27 65.9 13 12 92.3 
			 Unknown age 59 9 15.3 — — — 9 1 11.1 
			           
			 All age groups 89,079 15,841 17.8 51,125 12,898 25.2 46,029 13,579 29.5 
			 Notes: 1. Data represent activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector. 2. Data should not be interpreted as a count of people as the same person may have attended A&E on more than one occasion. 3. Assessing growth through time: A&E Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data are experimental and coverage remains incomplete. Caution should be used when comparing years, as increases are more likely to be a reflection of improvements in coverage, rather than actual increases in attendances. For example, the number of recorded attendances in 2009-10 A&E HES increased by 14% since 2008-09, compared to a 5% increase in 2009-10 QMAE attendances (the official departmental source of A&E data). 4. HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts in England and from some independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. Source: HES, NHS Information Centre for health and social care

Hospitals: Inspections

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many unannounced inspections of NHS hospitals have been carried out by the Care Quality Commission in the last 12 months.

Simon Burns: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England and is responsible for assessing whether providers are meeting the registration requirements under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.
	The CQC has provided the following information:
	The CQC does not currently record centrally whether inspections are announced or not. Going forward, the CQC is building this ability into its system and aims to be able to report on this from this summer.
	The CQC's operational policy is for its inspections to be unannounced. This is the case for the vast majority of its inspections.

Leukaemia: Drugs

Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will instruct the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to reconsider the evidence of clinical effectiveness of treatments for chronic myeloid leukaemia which are not currently recommended.

Paul Burstow: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued guidance to the national health service on 13 January 2012 which recommends the use of nilotinib and does not recommend the use of dasatinib or high dose imatinib for the treatment of patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia who are resistant or intolerant to standard-dose imatinib.
	NICE is an independent body and we have no plans to ask it to reconsider its published technology appraisal guidance.
	NICE is currently appraising dasatinib, nilotinib and standard-dose imatinib for the first-line treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia.

McKinsey Consultancy

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many former employees of McKinsey consultancy are (a) senior officials or members of the board of Monitor and (b) senior officials of his Department; and what their names are.

Simon Burns: The Department does not keep a central record of officials' previous employment but is aware of one senior civil servant currently working in the Department who was previously employed by McKinsey and Co around 10 years ago. The member of staff is Richard Murray who is currently director of Financial Planning and Allocation.
	The Department is informed by the chairman of Monitor (the statutory name of which is the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts) that four senior officials or members of the board of Monitor are former employees of McKinsey consultancy. They are: David Bennett (chair and interim chief executive), Sigurd Reinton (non-executive director), Adrian Masters (director of strategy) and Toby Lambert (policy director).

McKinsey Consultancy

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what official meetings in his Department were attended by representatives of McKinsey consultancy between May 2010 and December 2011.

Simon Burns: McKinsey and Company has undertaken consultancy work for the Department to support the work of the NHS Leadership Team in developing the plans for managing change. McKinsey and Company have also provided external expertise to the Department, including analytical support.
	This work has led to various meetings between May 2010 and December 2011. The cost of providing details of all of these meetings would be disproportionate.

McKinsey Consultancy

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings Ministers in his Department had with McKinsey consultancy or its representatives outside his Department between May 2010 and December 2011.

Simon Burns: Details of ministerial meetings with external parties are published quarterly in arrears on the Department's website. Data from 1 January 2010 up to the end of June 2011 can be found at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Aboutus/MinistersandDepartmentLeaders/Departmentdirectors/DH_110759
	Data for July to September 2011 is likely to be published in early March 2012 and data for October to December 2011 is likely to be published in late spring 2012.

Medicine: Overseas Students

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to his Department’s discussion document of 8 October 2007, Modernising Medical Careers, whether it remains the case that 80 per cent. of international medical graduates leave within four years of entering the NHS.

Simon Burns: The data on the number of international medical graduates that leave the national health service within four years of entering the NHS is not available.
	The information came from a one-off collection specifically for the Modernising Medical Careers consultation on proposals for managing applications from medical graduates from outside the European economic area.

Members: Correspondence

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to answer the letter from the hon. Member for Harrow West on the answering of a parliamentary question on civil servant salary arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: I have responded to the hon. Member’s letter today.

Mental Health Services: Hampshire

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make it his policy to require the Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust to publish the evidential basis of its conclusion that consultees wanted as much support in the community as possible as opposed to going into an acute mental health unit; and if he will require the trust to publish (a) who was consulted, (b) the wording of the questions put to them, (c) the number of (i) service users, (ii) GPs, (iii) local authorities, (iv) NHS commissioners, (v) NHS staff and (vi) members of the public who participated in the consultation and (d) the dates on and between which the survey was conducted;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 29 November 2011, Official Report, column 875W, on hospital beds: Hampshire, if he will make it his policy to require the Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust to publish how many of the (a) 33 respondents who completed a feedback form, (b) 34 respondents who sent an e-mail, (c) 26 respondents who wrote a letter, (d) five respondents who made a telephone call, (e) 18 respondents who participated in a website Survey Monkey and (f) 1,085 respondents who signed a petition for its public consultation of 5 to 14 October 2011 were (i) in favour of and (ii) opposed to its planned closure of adult acute mental health beds;
	(3)  if he will make it his policy to require the Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust to disclose the detailed daily acute adult mental health bed occupancy data on each day (a) in November 2011, (b) December 2011 (c) January 2012 and (d) since 1 February 2012 before implementing its plan to reduce the number of acute adult mental health beds; and if he will require the trust to publish such data routinely in future;
	(4)  if he will make it his policy to require the Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust to disclose the average daily proportion of (a) detained and (b) voluntary in-patients in its adult acute mental health beds in (i) November 2011, (ii) December 2011 and (iii) January 2012.

Simon Burns: This is a matter for the chair of Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust. We have written to Simon Waugh informing him of my hon. Friend’s inquiry. He will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

Mental Health Services: Offenders

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library (a) responses from individual service users and (b) all other responses to his Department's offender personality disorder consultation;
	(2)  how many victims' groups were consulted as part of his Department's offender personality disorder consultation.

Paul Burstow: As part of the consultation, officials met service users at three prisons, two secure hospital units and a service for managing offenders in the community. Officials also met a wide range of stakeholders, including the office of the Government's Victim's Commissioner, with a view to encouraging formal responses to the consultation. An ongoing service user involvement and listening programme is integral to the Offender Personality Disorder Implementation Plan.
	The responses to the consultation on the Offender Personality Disorder Pathway Implementation Plan have been placed in the Library.

Monitor: Manpower

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people work for Monitor; how many worked there in May 2010; and what the projected number of employees of Monitor is at the end of 2012.

Simon Burns: We are informed by the chairman of Monitor (the statutory name of which is the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts) that in May 2010, 104 people worked for Monitor, of whom 100 were on Monitor's payroll and four were secondees, contractors or agency staff. The corresponding figures for January 2012 were 159 staff, of whom 127 were on Monitor's payroll and 32 were secondees, contractors or agency staff. We are also informed that Monitor plans to have 363 staff on its payroll in December 2012.
	The planned increase reflects the fact that the Health and Social Care Bill makes provision for Monitor to become the sector regulator for all providers of NHS services.

National Patient Safety Agency

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for future consideration of surgical safety matters following the cessation of the National Patient Safety Agency; what role clinical boards will play; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The activity will remain the same with an ongoing focus on surgical safety matters and continued work with the safety boards. Following the abolition of the National Patient Safety Agency, this work will be led by the patient safety function in the NHS Commissioning Board. Safety boards will continue to play the vital role of promoting a safety culture within their respective specialties and membership and promoting safer practices arising from patient safety information.

Neurology

Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average number per primary care trust was of people with a neurological condition who took part in the most recent GP Patient Survey; and in how many primary care trusts no people with a neurological condition participated in the survey.

Paul Burstow: Question 31 in the GP Patient Survey ask respondents to indicate which medical conditions they have. The options include Alzheimer's disease or dementia and a long-term neurological problem. The number of respondents for England and the average per primary care trust (PCT) for these two options are shown in the following table. A table showing the respective numbers for each PCT has been placed in the Library.
	
		
			   England Average per PCT 
			 Patients reporting either Alzheimer's disease or dementia or a long-term neurological condition Respondents 10,701 71 
			  Proportion of total respondents (percentage) 2.3 2.3 
			  Per 100,000 population 2,270 2,270 
			     
			 Patients reporting Alzheimer's disease or dementia Respondents 2,580 17 
			  Percentage of total respondents 0.5 0.5 
			  Per 100,000 population 547 547 
			     
			 Patients reporting a long-term neurological condition Respondents 8,278 55 
			  Percentage of total respondents 1.8 1.8 
			  Per 100,000 population 1,756 1,756 
			 Source: Weighted results from GP Patient Survey, December 2011 
		
	
	The number of patients reporting a long-term neurological problem in the GP Patient survey for each PCT is published on the following webpage.
	www.gp-patient.co.uk/results/latest_weighted/pct/
	There were no PCTs with no patients reporting a long-term neurological condition.

Neurology

Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the report by the National Audit Office on services for people with neurological conditions, HC 1586, what information he expects to gather from questions 32 and 34 of future GP Patient Surveys on the areas of weakness identified in the report; and how this information will be used to secure improvements in the delivery of neurological services.

Paul Burstow: We are considering the findings of the National Audit Office report on services for people with neurological conditions, and will be responding in due course.

Neurology

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he has made on his Department’s strategy for helping people with neurological conditions; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: Many people with long-term neurological conditions receive excellent care, but not everybody does. We want to see the national health service delivering excellent, personalised care to all people living with neurological conditions. Waiting times for in-patient and out-patient neurology have improved and the number of beneficial, elective neurological operations being performed has also increased.
	We are committed to improving outcomes for people with neurological conditions and we are using new mechanisms to embed delivery including through National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Quality Standards, which will in future link with tariffs that will incentivise quality care; the Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention Programme; personal health budgets; work on early diagnosis and any qualified provider.
	In addition, the Government are developing a long-term conditions outcomes strategy that will include a set of shared or common goals that could help delay, prevent and manage long-term conditions. This will take a life course approach, focusing on the key life stages and events which affect people’s outcomes. It will be a cross-government strategy taking a generic approach but should be relevant to all long-term conditions, including neurological ones. It is being developed in co-operation with other Departments and external stakeholders. We expect to publish the strategy in late 2012.

NHS

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent progress his Department has made in implementing the recommendations of the Innovation, Health and Wealth report.

Simon Burns: On behalf of the NHS chief executive, Sir Ian Carruthers OBE, is leading the implementation of “Innovation Health and Wealth: accelerating adoption and diffusion in the NHS”, which was published on 5 December 2011. We have established cross-sector ‘Task and Finish’ groups to lead the implementation of each recommendation and progress is on track.

NHS: Fraud

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the amount of money the NHS has lost through employee fraud in each of the last five years.

Simon Burns: The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Older People

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of his Department's expenditure was spent on services for the elderly in the latest period for which figures are available.

Paul Burstow: Around 40% national health service acute, mental health, primary care and prescribing by general practitioner is estimated to be spent on people aged 65 years and above. The proportion has been estimated for 2010-11 using the weights for age in the formula for allocations to primary care trusts. Information by age is not held centrally for other expenditure by the NHS.
	In addition, adult social care is funded by local authorities, through a combination of central Government grant funding and locally-raised council tax. Provisional data for 2010-11 shows that local authority net expenditure on adult social care for people aged 65 and over was £7.42 billion. This represents 50.8% of total net expenditure on adult social care.

Patients: Illegal Immigrants

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued to GPs and doctors on registering illegal immigrants.

Simon Burns: There is no specific guidance regarding illegal immigrants. A person’s immigration status has no bearing on their eligibility to access primary care. General practitioner (GP) contractors are self-employed and are contracted through primary care trusts to provide services for the national health service. Under the terms of those contracts, GPs have a measure of discretion as to who they register as an NHS patient but they cannot turn down an applicant on the grounds of race, gender, social class, age, religion, sexual orientation, appearance, disability or medical condition.
	On 18 March 2011, the Government announced a proposed review regarding charging foreign nationals for NHS services. This will include whether GP or other NHS services outside of hospitals should be charged for. The review will be thorough and consultative, and will take full account of NHS values, public health needs and humanitarian obligations. We expect that developed proposals will be ready for further consultation this year.

Patients: Interpreters

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions interpreters have been required for the purposes of treating (a) NHS patients, (b) emergency admissions, (c) maternity cases, (d) in-patient admissions and (e) out-patients in (i) Leeds North West constituency and (ii) England in each of the last five years.

Paul Burstow: This information is not held centrally. The provision of interpretation and translation services by national health services bodies is a matter for local determination.

Patients: Nationality

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to require NHS trusts to capture nationality information of patients being treated for the purposes of (a) auditing costs through the European Health Insurance Card scheme and (b) recovering appropriate costs for the treatment of non-EEA nationals.

Simon Burns: The Government have a large programme of work under way designed to improve data capture within the national health service in order for the United Kingdom to submit successful claims against other European Economic Area (EEA) countries for treatment provided under the European Health Insurance Card scheme. Nationality data is not the key factor in this regard, rather, it is the card detail and information of the insuring member state.
	With regard to treatment of non-EEA nationals, there are no plans to require NHS trusts to capture nationality data. Entitlement to free NHS hospital treatment is dependent on ordinary residence in the UK, not nationality. Where charges apply to overseas visitors to the UK the NHS is advised not to provide treatment without receiving payment in advance unless the treatment is urgent or immediately necessary. NHS bodies take measures to recover debts from those not entitled to free treatment, and many already record patient details, including nationality, in case this proves necessary to assist them in that debt recovery.

Rare Diseases: Northern Ireland

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on consultation in Northern Ireland on the UK Plan for Rare Diseases; and when he expects the consultation to commence.

Simon Burns: Ministers in this Department have not had any direct discussion with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on the forthcoming consultation on the rare disease plan. Officials in the Department have worked closely with officials in the three devolved Administrations over the past year in developing the consultation document. The work to finalise the consultation document is almost at an end and we hope to be able to launch the consultation shortly.

Social Work Education Grant

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he plans to administer the Social Work Education Grant in 2012-13.

Paul Burstow: We are currently considering arrangements for management of the education support grant for the 2012 academic year onwards and expect to make an announcement shortly.

South London Healthcare NHS Trust: Food

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost was of providing food per patient per day in the South London Healthcare NHS Trust in each of the last five years.

Simon Burns: The information is not available in the precise format requested.
	South London Healthcare NHS Trust was established on 1 April 2009 following a merger of three hospital trusts, namely Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust, Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust and Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust. Therefore data are not available for South London Healthcare NHS Trust for the years 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09.
	The available data for South London Healthcare NHS Trust for the years 2009-10 and 2010-11 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Average cost of feeding one patient per day at South London Healthcare NHS Trust (£) 
			 2009-10 6.08 
			 2010-11 9.06 
		
	
	This cost relates to all meals and beverages provided to a patient in a day, not the cost of a single meal. The cost is inclusive of all pay and non-pay costs, including provisions, ward issues, disposables, equipment and its maintenance.
	The information has been supplied by the NHS trust and has not been amended centrally. The accuracy and completeness of the information is the responsibility of the provider organisation.

Third Sector

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to implement the principles of the Best Value Statutory guidance in respect of (a) giving at least three months’ notice to voluntary and community organisations and their service users when reducing or ending funding, (b) engaging with voluntary and community organisations and service users as early as possible before making a decision on the future of the service, any knock-on effects on assets used to provide this service and the wider impact on the local community and (c) making provision for voluntary and community organisations and service users to put forward options on how to reshape the service or project.

Paul Burstow: The Best Value guidance does not legally apply to central Government Departments or their Executive agencies. However, as the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, the right hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), made clear in his foreword to the revised Best Value guidance, central Government Departments support the fair standards set out in the guidance and have reaffirmed their commitment to the national Compact. The issues raised are covered by the Compact.
	In January, the National Audit Office published “Central Government’s implementation of the national Compact”, a report which provides commentary on the implementation of the national Compact across Government. The Department for Communities and Local Government participated fully in the National Audit Office’s review of the national Compact implementation and will be following up as appropriate the recommendations within the National Audit Office report in order to ensure that the Department continues to be a strong model of collaborative working between Government and the voluntary sector.
	In health and social care, the Department of Health recognises that voluntary and community organisations play vital roles in delivering innovative, high quality, user-focused services, and achieving outcomes that can provide real social value. They have a strong track-record of designing services based on insight into clients’ needs, and are often well placed to respond flexibly to those needs. That is why the Department is committed to strengthening the role of the voluntary and community organisations and make it easier for them to be at the centre of social change.
	To that end, the Health and Social Care Bill proposes the establishment of health and wellbeing boards who will be under a statutory duty to involve people living or working in the area in the preparation of joint strategic needs assessments and the development of joint health and well-being strategies, which will underpin commissioning plans for local services. HealthWatch, which will be established as a new consumer champion at both national and local levels, will ensure patients and the public have a stronger voice in national health service and social care. Local HealthWatch will have a seat on health and wellbeing boards, ensuring that the views and experiences of patients, carers, other service users and the wider public are integral to the preparation of such assessments and strategies.

Tobacco: Sales

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to ensure that respondents to his Department's forthcoming consultation on plain packaging declare any (a) organisational membership that includes tobacco manufacturers, (b) organisational funding from tobacco manufacturers, including the Tobacco Manufacturers Association, (c) contracts providing services to or receiving fees from the tobacco industry and (d) responses generated through campaigns funded directly or indirectly by tobacco manufacturers.

Paul Burstow: We will ask all respondents to consultation exercises on tobacco control measures run by the Department to disclose any links with, or funding received from, the tobacco industry, as we committed to do in the Tobacco Control Plan. This includes the forthcoming consultation on tobacco packaging.
	We will encourage all respondents to the consultation to answer this question, in the interests of transparency. Respondents will be able to describe the nature of their link with the tobacco industry, where relevant.
	We encourage the tobacco industry to respond to consultations on matters in which they have an interest, so the Government can understand their views. Responses from the tobacco industry or those with links to the tobacco industry will be considered by the Department together with other consultation responses received.
	A copy of the Tobacco Control Plan has already been placed in the Library.

Tobacco: Sales

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many organisations engaging with his Department on the Tobacco Control plan have disclosed links or funding received from the tobacco industry since the publication of the plan.

Andrew Lansley: The Government take seriously their obligations as a party to the World Health Organisation’s framework convention on tobacco control (FCTC). The FCTC places obligations on parties to protect the development and implementation of public health policy from the vested interests of the tobacco industry. As a result, neither the tobacco industry, nor any organisation with known direct links to the industry were involved in the development of “Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A Tobacco Control Plan for England”, which was published in March 2011.
	None of the organisations that were engaged by the Department in the development of the Tobacco Control plan have subsequently declared to the Department any links or funding received from the tobacco industry.
	The Department has had some engagement with organisations that have disclosed links with, or have received funding from the tobacco industry to discuss tobacco control, for example, in relation to the implementation of the tobacco display ban. However, none of these organisations had any direct involvement in the development of the Tobacco Control plan.
	A copy of “Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A Tobacco Control Plan for England” has already been placed in the Library.

Urinary System: Health Services

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase the availability of data collected on (a) lower urinary tract symptoms and (b) continence services.

Paul Burstow: The Department has no such plans currently beyond what is provided in our funded National Clinical Audits on continence care and Any Qualified Provider priorities.
	In addition, the NHS Outcomes Framework, published in December 2010, has “Enhancing quality of life for people with long-term conditions” as one of its outcome domains, which is relevant to a number of conditions including living with incontinence.

Urinary System: Health Services

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has assessed the National Audit of Continence Care; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer the Minister of State, Department of Health, the right hon. Member for Chelmsford (Mr Burns), gave her on 22 February 2012, Official Report, columns 805-06W.

Vaccination: Schools

Simon Reevell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who is responsible for the local co-ordination of (a) immunisation and (b) schools' vaccination programmes.

Simon Burns: Primary care trusts are responsible for the local planning and delivery of national immunisation programmes, including those where immunisation takes place in schools.

Vitamin D

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what guidance his Department has issued to primary care trusts on testing for vitamin D deficiency;
	(2)  whether his Department has asked the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition to consider the merits of introducing a vitamin D reference nutrient indicator for all ages as part of its review of dietary recommendations;
	(3)  what steps he is taking to provide information for the public on vitamin D intake;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the level of vitamin D supplements consumed by (a) children under the age of five, (b) pregnant women, (c) women aged over 65 and (d) men aged over 65 in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  what estimate he has made of the level of intake of vitamin D supplements (a) among black and minority ethnic people, (b) in the North East, (c) in the North West, (d) in Greater London, (e) in Yorkshire and the Humber and (f) in the West Midlands; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The Department is not providing guidance to primary care trusts on testing for or screening of vitamin D deficiency. The chief medical officer wrote to health professionals on 2 February 2012 advising on how low vitamin D status is defined, alongside the current advice that groups of people who are at risk of vitamin D deficiency should take vitamin D supplements to prevent vitamin D deficiency. A copy has been placed in the Library.
	The Department has asked the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) to review the Dietary Reference Values for vitamin D across different age groups.
	Information is provided to consumers about vitamin D through NHS Choices. In addition pregnant women and families with young children receiving Healthy Start vouchers also receive regular information about the benefits of Healthy Start vitamin supplements which contain vitamin D and where to get them.
	The Department does not hold information on the level of vitamin D supplements consumed by black and minority ethnic people or in individual regions in the country.
	The National Diet and Nutrition Survey provides information on the consumption of vitamin D supplements, but does not include information on consumption by pregnant women. Survey data showing mean vitamin D intake from supplements for young children and older adults, collected in 2008-09 to 2009-10, is provided in the following table.
	
		
			 Age group Mean vitamin D intake from supplements micrograms/day 
			 Children 1.5 to 3 years 0.4 
			 Children 4 to 10 years 0.7 
			 Men 65 years and over 1.1 
			 Women 65 years and over 1.6 
		
	
	Separately, the Infant Feeding Survey 2005 found that up to 7% of infants aged eight to 10 months were given supplements containing vitamin D.
	Healthy Start provides women and children who qualify for the scheme with coupons to exchange for Healthy Start vitamins. They contain the appropriate amounts of the recommended vitamin supplements for pregnant and breastfeeding women and children aged from six months old, including vitamin D.
	The following table shows the number of bottles of vitamins distributed to those women and children on the scheme from claims we have received from primary care trusts:
	
		
			  Number of children's drops distributed to those on the scheme Number of women's tablets distributed to those on the scheme 
			 2007 14,355 713 
			 2008 20,721 2,446 
			 2009 27,051 6,176 
			 2010 63,374 26,616 
			 2011 64,407 31,637

Vulnerable Adults: Protection

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to place adult safeguarding boards on a statutory footing; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will take steps to ensure that organisations involved in safeguarding make a co-ordinated contribution to local adult safeguarding work; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: We intend to put safeguarding adults boards on a statutory footing, requiring membership from key organisations. We intend that legislation will set out boards' core membership, consisting of the local authority, the national health service and the police. This will ensure core members meet regularly to discuss and act upon local safeguarding issues. It will be for individual boards to decide upon their own membership beyond these core requirements. We also intend that the legislation will set out that the statutory board must publish a safeguarding plan and to report annually on its progress against that plan, to ensure that agency's activities are effectively coordinated.
	Coordinated multi-agency working is critically important in safeguarding adults boards. However, each separate organisation involved in delivering care also needs to remember that it is their responsibility to look after the people in their care effectively, using staff training, internal reviews and investigations, disciplinary procedures, and quality assurance and governance processes as required.

EDUCATION

Domestic Violence

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent estimate he has made of the number of children at risk of being exposed to domestic violence.

Tim Loughton: The Government do not collect data on the number of children at risk of being exposed to domestic violence. We recognise, however, that children who are victims of domestic violence, including those who have witnessed violence in the home, will need targeted support from a range of agencies to ensure their safety and welfare. We expect schools and local authorities to have developed local protocols that focus on the needs and requirements of such children.

Free Nursery Care

Claire Perry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many two year-olds will be eligible for 15 hours a week of free nursery care in (a) Devizes constituency, (b) the south-west and (c) England by 2015.

Sarah Teather: We plan to introduce a legal entitlement to free early education for around 130,000 disadvantaged two-year-olds from September 2013. We will extend this to around 260,000 two-year-olds in England—40%—from September 2014. From 2013, around 10,000 two-year-olds in the south-west and 700 in Wiltshire are likely to be eligible. We are considering eligibility criteria for the second phase, and will consult in due course.

Free Nursery Care

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many two-year-olds will be eligible for 15 hours a week of free nursery care in (a) West Worcestershire constituency, (b) the west midlands and (c) England by 2015.

Sarah Teather: We plan to introduce a legal entitlement to free early education for around 130,000 disadvantaged two-year-olds in September 2013. We will extend this to around 260,000 two-year-olds in England—40%—from September 2014. From 2013, around 16,800 two-year-olds in the west midlands and 1,100 in Worcestershire are likely to be eligible. We are considering eligibility criteria for the second phase, and will consult in due course.

School Curriculum: Business Links

George Freeman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to promote science and closer links with high-tech businesses in the school curriculum. [R]

John Hayes: The Government welcome the involvement of business in supporting science teaching in schools. We are slimming down the National Curriculum which will free up teachers to work with business to develop innovative curricula and support their teaching. New schools such as university technical colleges and studio schools are already working with high tech businesses to do this and we encourage more schools to follow their lead.

Parenting Skills Advice

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he has taken to provide parenting skills advice.

Tim Loughton: On 18 October the Department announced the trial of universal parenting classes for mothers and fathers of children 0 to five years in three areas: Middlesbrough, High Peak and the London borough of Camden.
	Parents who attend good parenting classes find they can be life changing—helping them to communicate well with their children and encourage good behaviour. We want to encourage strong and confident parenting, and normalise parents seeking help to strengthen their parenting skills.

Care Proceedings

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many applications for care or supervisory proceedings were made in each local authority area between April and December 2011.

Tim Loughton: The Department for Education does not hold this information. I asked Anthony Douglas, chief executive of CAFCASS, to write to the hon. Member. He has now done so and a copy of his letter has been placed in the House Libraries.
	Letter from Anthony Douglas, dated 22 February 2012
	I am writing to you in order to provide answers to the Parliamentary Question that you tabled recently.
	Please see the following table which indicates the care demand by local authority between April 2011 and December 2011.
	
		
			 Local authority April to December 2011 
			 Barnsley 38 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 14 
			 Bedfordshire 27 
			 Bedford Borough 0 
			 Birmingham 170 
			 Blackburn 46 
			 Blackpool 48 
			 Bolton 52 
			 Bournemouth 38 
			 Bracknell Forest 9 
			 Bradford 111 
			 Brighton and Hove 84 
			 Bristol 62 
			 Buckinghamshire 36 
			 Bury 43 
			 Calderdale 46 
			 Cambridgeshire 43 
			 Central Bedfordshire 31 
			 Cheshire 0 
			 Cheshire East 23 
			 Cheshire West and Chester 46 
			 Cornwall 63 
			 Coventry 61 
			 Cumbria 85 
			 Darlington 25 
			 Derby City Council 76 
			 Derbyshire 102 
			 Devon 92 
			 Doncaster 80 
			 Dorset 18 
			 Dudley 49 
			 Durham 77 
			 East Riding of Yorks 35 
			 East Sussex 84 
			 Essex 183 
			 Gateshead 54 
			 Gloucestershire 42 
			 Halton 17 
			 Hampshire 97 
			 Hartlepool 21 
			 Herefordshire 20 
		
	
	
		
			 Hertfordshire 119 
			 Isle of Wight 14 
			 Isles of Scilly 0 
			 Kent 237 
			 Hull 75 
			 Kirklees 74 
			 Knowsley 16 
			 Lancashire 139 
			 Leeds 158 
			 Leicester City 54 
			 Leicestershire 66 
			 Lincolnshire 70 
			 Liverpool 77 
			 London—Barking and Dagenham 55 
			 London—Barnet 33 
			 London—Bexley 29 
			 London—Brent 45 
			 London—Bromley 29 
			 London—Camden 37 
			 City of London 2 
			 London—Croydon 43 
			 London—Ealing 54 
			 London—Enfield 31 
			 London—Greenwich 43 
			 London—Hackney 34 
			 London—Hammersmith and Fulham 37 
			 London—Haringey 74 
			 London—Harrow 13 
			 London—Havering 7 
			 London—Hillingdon 31 
			 London—Hounslow 22 
			 London—Islington 29 
			 London—Kensington and Chelsea 13 
			 London—Kingston-upon-Thames 14 
			 London—Lambeth 57 
			 London—Lewisham 55 
			 London—Merton 18 
			 London—Newham 28 
			 London—Redbridge 21 
			 London—Richmond 7 
			 London—Southwark 76 
			 London—Sutton 21 
			 London—Tower Hamlets 36 
			 London—Waltham Forest 41 
			 London—Wandsworth 32 
			 London—Westminster 19 
			 Luton 33 
			 Manchester 110 
			 Medway 35 
			 Middlesbrough 56 
			 Milton Keynes 25 
			 Newcastle-upon-Tyne 51 
			 Norfolk 129 
			 North East Lincolnshire 21 
			 North Lincolnshire 23 
			 North Somerset 20 
			 North Tyneside 33 
			 North Yorkshire 49 
			 Northamptonshire 67 
			 Northumberland 37 
		
	
	
		
			 Nottingham City 60 
			 Nottinghamshire 86 
			 Oldham Metropolitan 31 
			 Oxfordshire 52 
			 Peterborough 46 
			 Plymouth 43 
			 Poole 13 
			 Portsmouth 23 
			 Reading 34 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 48 
			 Rochdale 58 
			 Rotherham 57 
			 Rutland 1 
			 Salford 40 
			 Sandwell 70 
			 Sefton 35 
			 Sheffield City 102 
			 Shropshire 28 
			 Slough 22 
			 Solihull 18 
			 Somerset 82 
			 South Gloucestershire 24 
			 South Tyneside 65 
			 Southampton 52 
			 Southend 20 
			 St Helens 34 
			 Staffordshire 86 
			 Stockport 37 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 65 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 60 
			 Suffolk 84 
			 Sunderland 62 
			 Surrey 89 
			 Swindon 15 
			 Tameside 51 
			 Telford and Wrekin 42 
			 Thurrock 25 
			 Torbay 41 
			 Trafford 18 
			 Wakefield 53 
			 Walsall 33 
			 Warrington 34 
			 Warwickshire 78 
			 West Berkshire 9 
			 West Sussex 57 
			 Wigan 44 
			 Wiltshire 25 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 13 
			 Wirral 53 
			 Wokingham 12 
			 Wolverhampton 66 
			 Worcestershire 44 
			 York 36 
			 Total 7,498 
			 Note: The figures in the table are provided from the CAFCASS national case management system (CMS). The unit of measurement is a Care application, upon its receipt by CAFCASS from the court and its entry into CMS. An application can involve multiple children. CMS is a live system and any late entries will be accounted for at the time of release of subsequent updates to this data.

Children: Protection

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of progress in implementation of the Munro Review recommendations;
	(2)  how he plans to measure progress in the implementation of the Munro Review recommendations; and what action he plans to take against local authorities which do not implement the recommendations.

Tim Loughton: Good progress is being made across the full range of commitments in the Government response published in July.
	We are reducing bureaucracy and making it easier for the front line to use their professional judgment through revisions to “Working Together to Safeguard Children” and the “Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families”. A multi-disciplinary professional advisory group is advising us on this work.
	Government, Ofsted and the Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS) have come together with a range of other partners to develop and agree local child safeguarding performance information that puts professional expertise, rather than process, at the heart of local quality assurance. This was published on 13 December and is now available on the Department's website:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/munroreview/downloads/LCSPIDec2011.pdf
	We launched a public consultation asking for views on the proposed children's safeguarding national performance data:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/consultations/index.cfm?action =consultationDetails&consultationId=1803&external =no&menu=1
	This consultation will run until 16 April 2012.
	Over the summer, Ofsted consulted on local authority child protection inspection arrangements which are more child centred and, in January, published their new framework which will begin in May 2012. All relevant inspectorates have also now agreed in principle to Professor Munro's proposed model of joint inspection to ensure that the contribution of all local services to safeguarding is examined. The inspectorates are working through what such a model will look like and when it will begin, and will give a progress update by end March 2012.
	On 31 October we published a co-produced work programme, “Safeguarding Children in the reformed NHS”. Phase one is under way, led by the Chief Nursing Officer. This work includes a recent consultation on a draft Accountabilities Framework.
	We have been working with partners to consider the best route to secure Professor Munro's vision of a transparent and co-ordinated offer of early help for children and families. We have engaged with partners in ADCS, health, police and education and have concluded that we do not need a new statutory duty to deliver early help and that there is sufficient existing legislation to realise Professor Munro's recommendation. We are continuing to work with partners to clarify existing legislation to emphasise the importance of early help. In the meantime we encourage local areas to continue to work to provide early help for the compelling arguments that Professor Munro articulated.
	We are working with eight local authorities to trial more flexible approaches to assessment. The early evidence from these trials and emerging findings are encouraging and suggest that both removing the distinction between the initial and core assessments and replacing nationally prescribed timescales for assessment with timely, professional judgments can have the positive impact on practice envisaged by Professor Munro. Some of these trials have been running for only a few months and we need to explore further the impact of these changes, especially for children and young people. For this reason we have extended the trials to run until 31 March 2012.
	After consultation, and a market sounding exercise, we have taken the decision to decommission the National electronic Common Assessment Framework system (National eCAF). This is consistent with Professor Munro's view that we should remove constraints to local innovation and professional judgment that are created by prescribing approaches such as national IT systems. We are currently working with the current users of the system to ensure a smooth transition. As part of the decommissioning process we will consider the options to secure value out of the Government owned assets.
	Our reforms of child protection are underpinned by workforce reform, in particular reform of the social work profession which is being led by the Social Work Reform Board and the College of Social Work.
	The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) and the College of Social Work are supporting local authorities in designating a Principal Child and Family Social Worker in every local area. These roles will play a key part in redesigning child and family social work. The Department for Education and the Department of Health have been making preparations for the appointment of a chief social worker to advise Government on social work practice and the effectiveness of help being provided to children, families and adults. We are confident that the chief social worker will be in post in 2012, ahead of the timeline envisaged in the Government's response.
	We have consulted on new guidance for DCSs and lead members so that we have real clarity about their roles and will be publishing the revised guidance by the end of April. My officials and I have also held discussions with groups of Local Safeguarding Children Boards chairs to consider how all LSCBs can be effective in challenging and monitoring the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements. This will build on our reforms around learning, early help, inspection and performance information which emphasise the importance of LSCBs.
	Improving learning from serious incidents is critical to driving improvements in practice in child protection. Following Professor Munro's recommendation to use systems methodologies for Serious Case Reviews (SCR), we are considering how the Social Care Institute for Excellence's (SCIE) "Learning Together" model can be developed further for use in SCRs. Three LSCBs, Coventry, Devon and Lancashire are piloting the SCIE model. While the pilots are in progress, my officials are also exploring learning from sectors such as aviation and health, other ways of ensuring effective, sustained learning from serious incidents embedded in every day practice, with greater transparency and accountability.
	We have been working with Ofsted to develop transitional arrangements in response to Professor Munro's recommendation to end Ofsted's evaluation of SCRs. In January 2012, Ofsted introduced more streamlined evaluations of SCRs with a greater focus on identifying and embedding learning in order to support improvements in professional practice.
	Implementing the Munro recommendations requires a shift in mindset. The Government response was not intended to be seen as a one-off set of recommended solutions to be imposed and monitored from the centre but, instead, it is now for local agencies and professionals to take this forward. Change will evolve and best practice will develop based on experience, innovation and evidence. Our aim is to create the conditions for sustained, long-term reform which enables and inspires professionals to do their best for vulnerable children and their families.
	We have asked Professor Munro to undertake an interim assessment of progress in spring 2012.

Contact Orders: Grandparents

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to reform family law to provide greater access rights to grandparents when families break up; and if he will make a statement.

Tim Loughton: The Government recognise the unique role which grandparents can play in children's lives; this is highlighted in our response to the Family Justice Review, published on 6 February 2012.
	The majority of families who separate make their own arrangements about who a child spends time with, and children are able to remain in contact with their extended family. Where parents are unable to agree on their own, we have made clear in our response to the Family Justice Review that we want the importance of relationships with wider family members—including grandparents—to be emphasised through the information, advice and support available to parents outside the court setting. In particular we want to ensure that this issue is given full consideration by parents as part of the process of agreeing a ‘parenting agreement’, and that it is reflected in bespoke parenting classes for separating parents.
	For the minority of cases where a person applies to the courts regarding child contact arrangements, the courts are required to have the welfare of the child as their paramount consideration in reaching a decision. No individual has a legal right to have contact with a child and the Government have no plans to change this.

Education Welfare Officers

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many education welfare officers were employed by local authorities in (a) London and (b) England and Wales in each year since 2002; and how many such education welfare officers he estimates will be employed in (i) London and (ii) England and Wales in (A) 2012 and (B) 2013.

Nick Gibb: The information requested is not collected centrally.

GCSE

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils obtained A* to C grades in GCSE (a) English, (b) mathematics, (c) history, (d) geography, (e) double award science, (f) biology, (g) physics, (h) chemistry and (i) a modern foreign language in each year from 1997 to 2010.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 22 February 2012
	The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Pupils achieving (1)  GCSE grades A*-C in selected subjects at the end of key stage 4 in schools (numbers). Year: Timeseries 1997 to 2010 (2) . Coverage: England 
			 Thousand 
			  English Mathematics History Geography Double Award Science (5,6) Biology Physics Chemistry Any Modern foreign language 
			 1997(3) 292.5 250.3 117.9 139.6 212.8 32.3 30.7 31.5 207.6 
			 1998(3) 292.2 250.5 110.2 130.2 214.6 33.6 32.2 32.9 214.2 
			 1999(3) 306.5 260.7 113.6 130.5 219.8 34.5 33.3 33.7 227.9 
			 2000(3) 312.6 269.8 116.6 125.3 225.2 35.1 33.6 33.9 230.4 
			 2001(3) 325.2 286.7 119.7 131.2 239.8 36.3 34.5 34.9 242.3 
			 2002(3) 335.3 297.8 120.8 124.6 242.4 36.7 34.7 35.2 238.5 
			 2003(3) 347.5 298.7 123.8 122.0 251.5 38.0 36.0 36.7 225.0 
			 2004(3) 359.3 318.9 131.9 122.8 259.8 40.3 38.8 39.0 230.3 
			 2005(4) 367.7 331.7 134.7 121.5 255.6 43.4 41.6 41.8 224.4 
			 2006(4) 380.5 344.7 137.6 123.1 252.8 46.4 44.6 44.8 210.1 
			 2007(4) 3910 354.7 137.2 123.9 253.0 48.8 46.5 46.9 200.6 
			 2008(4) 398.5 361.1 138.5 121.7 n/a 68.2 63.6 64.7 198.4 
			 2009(4) 395.7 364.1 136.6 117.6 n/a 81.9 77.3 78.7 197.4 
			 2010(4) 420.4 385.7 139.5 118.4 n/a 109.0 105.5 106.4 196.7 
			 n/a = not available. (1) For each subject only one attempt is counted - that which achieved the highest grade. (2) Including achievements and attainments by these pupils in previous academic years. (3) Figures from 1997 to 2004 relate to pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year. (4) Figures from 2005 onwards are for pupils at the end of key stage 4. (5) 2007 was the final year that students sat the Double Award Science GCSE, where students received two identical grades for a course with twice the content as the Single Award Science GCSE. As attainments from previous academic years are included, a very small number of students completed Double Award Science between 2008 and 2009. (6) From 2008, students study the single Science GCSE (known as core science) and then one of two complementary GCSEs: Additional Science GCSE (which has a more academic focus) or Applied Science GCSE (which has a more vocational focus). Candidates now receive separate grades for each of their Science GCSEs.

Hyperactivity

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what parenting support his Department provides to families including teenagers with (a) ADHD and (b) other diagnosed behavioural disorders.

Sarah Teather: In July 2011, the Department contracted with 11 organisations to provide family support through online and telephone services. Two of these, Young Minds and Family Lives provide particular support for families with children (including teenage children) diagnosed with behavioural disorders. Between July and January 2012, Young Minds supported 483 families with children diagnosed with ADHD and 1,852 families with children with other diagnosed behavioural disorders. Over the same period, Family Lives supported 134 families with children diagnosed with ADHD and 450 families with children with other diagnosed behavioural disorders. Support includes providing information on services available, factsheets and professional, practical advice and guidance to help manage their behaviour.

Leeds Education Authority: Fees and Charges

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students from (a) the Leeds Education Authority area and (b) England were in receipt of a student loan for (i) tuition fees and maintenance, (ii) tuition fees but not maintenance, (iii) maintenance but not tuition fees and (iv) neither maintenance nor tuition fees in each of the last five years.

David Willetts: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The following table shows the number of students from Leeds Education Authority and England receiving support for maintenance, tuition, or both in academic years 2006/07 to 2010/11.
	
		
			 Customers in receipt of maintenance loan and/or tuition fee loan Leeds LEA area and England domiciled. Academic years: 2006/07 to 2010/11 
			  Leeds Education Authority England 
			 At 31 August: Maintenance loan only Tuition fee loan only Maintenance loan and tuition fee loan Maintenance loan only Tuition fee loan only Maintenance loan and tuition fee loan 
			 2006/07 4.7 0.3 4.5 367.2 22.2 359.4 
			 2007/08 3.3 0.5 6.3 246.6 36.2 499.4 
			 2008/09 2.0 0.7 7.9 147.2 48.6 624.2 
			 2009/10 1.5 0.7 8.9 114.6 52.2 704.8 
			 2010/11 1.5 0.7 9.4 109.9 52.0 745.5 
			 Source: Student Loans Company (SLC) 
		
	
	Not all students who are eligible for a maintenance loan are eligible for a tuition fee loan and vice versa. The two eligible populations differ slightly due to the criteria used to determine eligibility for support. Guidance on support available to students is available at:
	http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinance/Gettingstarted/DG_171572
	In the table above students taking out a maintenance loan only or a tuition fee loan only will include students who were not eligible for the other type of support, as well as those who chose to take out only one type of support.
	It is not possible to provide equivalent figures for students receiving neither maintenance nor tuition fee loans. There is insufficient information on whether or not students starting courses before 2006/07 who did not take out a loan had access to a full fee grant. However, the following table shows, for maintenance loans, the difference between students receiving support and the estimated eligible population. Figures are for English domiciles only; figures for the estimated eligible population are not available at education authority level. Figures are not yet available for 2010/11.
	
		
			 English domiciled students not receiving maintenance loans who were eligible 2006/07 to 2010/11 
			 Academic year Eligible for a maintenance loan but did not receive one (thousand) 
			 2006/07 176.9 
			 2007/08 182.1 
			 2008/09 191.8 
			 2009/10 184.8 
			 Source: Student Loans Company/BIS internal analysis of HESA data 
		
	
	BIS use data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and other sources with the closest approximation of eligibility criteria available from those sources to produce the estimated eligible population. Estimates are produced with a consistent method each year.

Reading: Teaching Methods

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) pupils and (b) teachers took part in the Every Child a Reader project in (i) England and (ii) each region in each year since 2008.

Nick Gibb: The following table gives figures broken down by teachers and children, and by region and for England as a whole, for the three full years that data are available:
	
		
			 Region Number of ECaR teachers 2008-09 Number of ECaR children 2008-09 Number of ECaR teachers 2009-10 Number of ECaR children 2009-10 Number of ECaR teachers 2010-11 Number of ECaR children 2010-11 
			 East 31 506 118 1,235 205 2,350 
			 East Midlands 76 702 11 1,426 165 1,539 
			 London 309 2,825 383 3,680 457 4,155 
			 North East 41 410 75 742 116 1,213 
			 North West 166 1,807 267 4,143 384 4,387 
			 South East 149 2,157 207 3,168 316 3,975 
			 South West 123 1,911 156 3,060 216 4,121 
			 West Midlands 107 929 193 2,400 294 2,976 
			 Yorks 186 2,035 240 2,602 329 2,916 
			 England overall 1,188 13,282 1,750 22,456 2,482 27,632

Young People: Disadvantaged

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans his Department has to help 16 to 19-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds to complete education or training.

Tim Loughton: The vast majority of young people are already participating in post-16 education or training. However, we know that those from disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to participate than their peers. That is why the Government are committed to raising the participation age to 17 in 2013 and 18 in 2015, ensuring that all young people have the opportunities they need to complete their education or training. Our plans for achieving this are set out in “Building Engagement, Building Futures: Our strategy to maximise the Participation of 16 to 24-year-olds in Education, Training and Work”, which is available at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/youngpeople/participation/a00200853/building-engagement-building-futures
	Local authorities in England are responsible for supporting young people aged 16 to 19 to participate in education or training. This includes identifying those who have left learning and helping them to re-engage. They have the freedom to do this in a way that best meets the needs of local young people and may work with a range of organisations who provide specialist support for disadvantaged young people.
	Through the new Youth Contract, the Government are investing £126 million in England over the next three years specifically to support the most disengaged 16 to 17-year-olds to move into sustained education, training or employment with training. Local authorities will work with successful providers to target those young people in their area who will benefit most, fitting this programme with other provision on offer locally.
	The Government will also continue to target financial support directly towards the most disadvantaged young people, in order to help them continue in education or training. Through the £180 million Bursary Fund, the most vulnerable young people aged 16 to 19 receive bursaries of £1,200 a year. The remainder of the fund is made available for schools, colleges and training providers to respond to individual needs and local circumstances, by providing discretionary bursaries to any student who faces genuine financial barriers to participation, like the cost of transport, books, food or equipment.

Young People: Employment

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) 16, (b) 17 and (c) 18 year-olds without a level 2 qualification are in full-time employment with no training element.

Tim Loughton: The Labour Force Survey is the source of data for information about young people in full-time work with no training. However, the sample size in the Labour Force Survey is too small to allow robust estimates of the qualification levels of young people in full-time work with no training to be made for individual age groups. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 9 February 2011, Official Report, column 441W, which gives the estimate for 16 to 18-year-olds combined.

TRANSPORT

A49: Shropshire

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans she has to upgrade and maintain the A49 dual carriageway between Church Stretton and Shrewsbury.

Michael Penning: In October 2010, the Department for Transport set out the outcomes of the Government’s 2010 comprehensive spending review, publishing details of its investment decisions for major road projects on the strategic road network.
	Dualling of the A49 between Church Stretton and Shrewsbury was not included among the schemes identified, and there are no plans to develop such a proposal at this time.

Air Travel Organisers’ Licence

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects reforms to the Air Travel Organisers Licence to be fully implemented.

Theresa Villiers: I announced on 9 February that we will introduce new regulations to bring Flight-Plus holidays into the ATOL scheme and introduce a new ATOL Certificate. We intend for these regulations to come into force from 30 April. This will bring much needed additional clarity to consumers about what holidays and flights are ATOL protected.
	The Civil Aviation Bill, introduced into Parliament on 19 January, includes a clause that would widen the Secretary of State for Transport’s existing power to regulate the provision of flight accommodation, which is the basis of the ATOL scheme. Subject to the parliamentary process, we propose to consult on options for using this expanded power to further reform the scheme in 2013. This consultation is expected to include bringing holidays sold by airlines into the ATOL scheme, as well as holidays procured on an 'agent for the consumer' basis.

Bus Services: Disability

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Coventry South of 16 January 2012, Official Report, column 472W, on bus services: disability, what proportion of Public Service Vehicles operating in the north-east comply with the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000.

Norman Baker: The Department does not collect this information.

Buses: Safety

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether coach drivers are required to take breaks on long journeys.

Michael Penning: Coach drivers (ie drivers of passenger carrying vehicles with nine or more passenger seats) come under scope of the EU drivers' hours rules (Regulation (EC) No 561/2006), which require the use of tachographs and prescribe maximum limits on driving time and minimum requirements for breaks and rest periods. Under these rules drivers are limited to nine hours of driving a day. Drivers must take 45 minutes of break time once they have driven for 4.5 hours in a day. For each 24 hour period, drivers must take at least 11 continuous hours of rest.

Coaches

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will consider the merits of extending the proposals for charging heavy goods vehicles using UK roads to coach operators based outside the UK.

Michael Penning: A charge would have to apply to UK-registered vehicles as well as foreign ones, or it would be discriminatory and therefore illegal. The charge for heavy goods vehicles is intended to ensure a fairer arrangement for UK hauliers. I am not aware of sufficient evidence that the situation in the coach market is unfair to UK operators.

Departmental Correspondence

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects to answer the hon. Member for Harrow West's letter about the answering of a parliamentary question on senior staff being paid through a private company.

Norman Baker: The letter in question was received in the Department less than a week ago on 21 February and is being considered. A reply will be sent as expeditiously as possible.

Departmental Internet

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what public services her Department delivers online only.

Norman Baker: The Department does provide MOT Test History, Find Your Nearest Driving Instructor, and Transport Direct public services online only.

Departmental Training

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many away days her Department has held since May 2010; what the location was of each such away day; how many staff attended; and what the cost was of each such event.

Norman Baker: The following departmental agencies have no records of away days being held since May 2010: Vehicle Certification Agency, Government Car Despatch Agency, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Driving Standards Agency, and Vehicle and Operator Services Agency.
	Regarding the central Department, Highways Agency, and Maritime and Coastguard Agency, I regret that providing the requested information would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold, as the information is held by individual sections rather than in one central location. However, for information on DFT(c) from May 2010 to January 2011, I would refer the hon. Member to the Department's website:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/foi/dft-f0007286/
	The Department has a strict policy that away days, which are work-focused, and training events are held on departmental premises or non-chargeable venues unless there is no alternative, and there is a clear and quantifiable work-related outcome.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the staffing costs were of running the local office network of the DVLA in each calendar year since 2005.

Michael Penning: The following table shows the staff costs (salaries), in financial years, for the local office network from April 2007 to December 2011. The information for 2005 to March 2007 is not readily available and would incur disproportionate costs to gather.
	
		
			 Staffing costs (salaries) 
			  £000 
			 2007-08 25,907 
			 2008-09 25,089 
			 2009-10 25,411 
			 2010-11 25,308 
			 2011 (April to December) 18,603

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what functions the local office network of the DVLA performs.

Michael Penning: Functions carried out in local offices include vehicle registration and licensing, tax disc distribution to motor dealers, trade licensing, vehicle inspections, personalised registrations, enforcement activities and driver licensing services. Wimbledon local office also provides a dedicated diplomatic and consular service and Peterborough a dedicated service for visiting forces and British Forces Germany for registration and licensing transactions.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason no impact assessment accompanied the Transforming DVLA Services consultation.

Michael Penning: An impact assessment did not accompany the consultation document on Transforming DVLA Services as it sets out high level proposals on how the DVLA could adapt to meet the changing expectations of customers. Impact assessments and full business cases, where appropriate, are being undertaken on specific elements of the proposals.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she took to ensure the Transforming DVLA Services consultation complied with the code of practice on consultations.

Michael Penning: The guidelines in the code of practice on consultation are applied to all formal, written consultations undertaken by my Department.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the costs were of the recent mail trials within the DVLA; and if any savings were made.

Michael Penning: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has run two recent mail trials. The first took place between May and September 2010, where a number of applications were redirected and processed at the DVLA centre instead of at its local offices. The main purpose for this was to address resource pressures at the time. The cost of operating the trial is estimated at £104,800 which reflected a saving of approximately £23,000.
	The second trial took place between April and August 2011, when the DVLA started to move some of its outbound correspondence from first class to second class postage. DVLA also rationalised the number of envelopes that it uses. These trials were successful and have subsequently been adopted. There were no costs attached. It is not possible to provide the savings for the trial only, but the savings for the financial year 2011-12 are estimated to be £1,546,000.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the effect on enforcement of matters for which the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is responsible of the closure of the DVLA enforcement centre in Chelmsford.

Michael Penning: DVLA has a clear commitment to ensure that enforcement activities remain fully effective. Initial assessments have shown that centralising enforcement should not lead to any degradation in service as the operational processes would remain the same.

East Coast Railway Line

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her Department has spent on (a) legal and (b) other professional fees to prepare the East Coast rail franchise for retender.

Theresa Villiers: During 2009-10 the Department for Transport spent £218,727 on professional fees to support preparation of the East Coast rail franchise for retender.
	This work was suspended in late 2010 when the Department decided to carry out a review of franchising policy and the overall franchising programme and there has been no further spend on legal or professional fees relating to the East Coast franchise.

Electric Vehicles

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the written ministerial statement of 17 January 2012, Official Report, column 38WS, on plug-in car grant reviews, what additional funding will go to the plug-in van grant in each year of the current spending review period.

Norman Baker: At the spending review the Government announced provision of £300 million to support ultra low carbon vehicles, for the life of the Parliament. The Plug-in Van Grant is funded from this budget.

Heathrow Airport: Night Flying

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times dispensation under NOTAM S36/2008 has been granted for night flights at Heathrow airport in the latest period for which figures are available.

Theresa Villiers: For the winter season 2011-12 which commenced on 30 October 2011 up until 9 February 2012, 139 flights have been given dispensation or disregarded from the night restrictions at Heathrow.
	Heathrow airport's flight evaluation unit publishes quarterly and annual data reports, which includes numbers of night movements and dispensations. Please refer to:
	http://noise.heathrowairport.com/

Large Goods Vehicles: Safety

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations she has received from (a) organisations and (b) individuals on the proposed 10-year trial of longer lorries and its effect on cyclists.

Michael Penning: The Department has received representations from CTC and other cycling organisations, Freight on Rail and a small number of individuals who have concerns about the potential impact of longer lorries.

Large Goods Vehicles: Safety

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she will consider restricting the proposed 10 year trial of longer lorries to non-metropolitan areas.

Michael Penning: No. These vehicles conform with all technical requirements, including those relating to turning circles: such a restriction is therefore unnecessary.

Local Authorities: Newspaper Press

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the amount spent by local authorities on the publication of traffic regulation orders in local newspapers (a) in Liverpool and (b) nationally;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the effect on the number of jobs at local and regional newspapers of ending the requirement to advertise traffic regulation orders in local print press.

Norman Baker: The consultation, which I launched on 30 January, offers those who may be affected by the proposals, including newspapers, the opportunity to lay out their concerns. That is part of the assessment process.
	The consultation, following a pledge in our recent traffic signs policy review document—Signing the Way—to review the requirements placed on traffic authorities when they propose and make temporary and permanent traffic orders, was launched on 30 January 2012. Further information may be found on the Department for Transport website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/dft-2012-06/
	The consultation paper makes reference to a report published by the UK Network Management Board and the results of a survey carried out in 2010 among traffic authorities about money spent on local newspaper advertising of traffic orders. Liverpool did not respond to the survey, so we have no information on their specific spend. However, the report considered responses received and estimated that at that time that £22.3 million was being spent annually in England on advertising traffic orders. This figure was adjusted to £20 million for consultation purposes due to changes that have already been made by the Highways Agency, which has already significantly reduced its spend in this area.
	I understand the concerns which have been expressed about the possible effect on the viability of local newspapers this change may have, and those concerns will be taken into account before a final decision is taken.

Members: Correspondence

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Weaver Vale of (a) 20 July 2011 and (b) 14 December 2011 on behalf of W S D Lamb.

Theresa Villiers: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 20 December 2011, Official Report, column 1180W.

Midland Main Railway Line

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what cost benefit analysis her Department has carried out on the electrification of the Midlands Main Line.

Theresa Villiers: Network Rail is developing a business case for the proposed electrification of the Midland Main Line which includes a cost benefit analysis.

Motor Vehicles: Hydrogen

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she plans to fund the installation of hydrogen refuelling stations to encourage the use of hydrogen vehicles.

Norman Baker: Government have previously provided funding for a small number of hydrogen refuelling facilities, primarily used for research and development. However, as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles near commercialisation, it will be critical to understand what level of infrastructure will be required going forward. To this end, the Government have recently announced the launch of UK H2Mobility, a ground breaking industry-government project that will evaluate the potential for hydrogen as transport fuel in the UK.
	UK H2Mobility will review the investments required to commercialise the technology, including refuelling infrastructure, to make hydrogen for transport a viable option for consumers.
	We look forward with interest to the outcome of the evaluation phase which is targeted to complete by the end of the year.

Motor Vehicles: Testing

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for York Central of 16 January 2012, Official Report, column 481W, on motor vehicles: testing, how many (a) motorcycles, (b) motor cars and (c) commercial vehicles were submitted for an MOT test in (i) the UK, (ii) England, (iii) Tyne and Wear and (iv) the City of Sunderland in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many vehicles failed the test in each case.

Michael Penning: The number of MOT tests undertaken by test class and number of failures in (i) Great Britain, (ii) England, (iii) the former metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear and (iv) Sunderland unitary authority during the calendar year 2010 are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Tests undertaken Fails 
			 (i) Great Britain   
			 Motorcycles 964,600 123,752 
			 Classes 3 and 4: Cars, vans and passenger vehicles with up to 12 seats 26,421,628 8,037,505 
			 Private passenger vehicles with more than 12 seats 49,045 13,539 
		
	
	
		
			 Goods vehicles between 3,000 and non-testable vehicles include mobile cranes, diggers and non-HGV trailers. Excludes emissions-only checks 589,261 239,613 
			    
			 (ii) England   
			 Motorcycles 862,117 110,254 
			 Classes 3 and 4: Cars, vans and passenger vehicles with up to 12 seats 22,881,777 6,803,314 
			 Private passenger vehicles with more than 12 seats 41,393 11,332 
			 Goods vehicles between 3,000 and non-testable vehicles include mobile cranes, diggers and non-HGV trailers. Excludes emissions-only checks 511,400 205,005 
			    
			 (iii) Tyne and Wear   
			 Motorcycles 12,860 1,169 
			 Classes 3 and 4: Cars, vans and passenger vehicles with up to 12 seats 405,669 121,622 
			 Private passenger vehicles with more than 12 seats 817 222 
			 Goods vehicles between 3,000 and non-testable vehicles include mobile cranes, diggers and non-HGV trailers. Excludes emissions-only checks 10,086 4,112 
			    
			 (iv) Sunderland UA   
			 Motorcycles 3,304 234 
			 Classes 3 and 4: Cars, vans and passenger vehicles with up to 12 seats 113,906 34,418 
			 Private passenger vehicles with more than 12 seats 243 81 
			 Goods vehicles between 3,000 and non-testable vehicles include mobile cranes, diggers and non-HGV trailers. Excludes emissions-only checks 2,957 1,242 
		
	
	MOT test results for Northern Ireland are not held by the Department.
	MOT data are available in raw format from:
	www.data.gov.uk

Public Transport: Fines

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many penalty fares were disputed through the Independent Revenue Collection and Support Service; and what proportion of such appeals were successful.

Norman Baker: I regret that the Department for Transport does not hold this information.

Railway Stations

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether her Department 
	(1)  has conducted an economic assessment of the potential benefits of reopening railway stations including those in Ilkeston, Belford and Baschurch;
	(2)  has any plans to reopen railway stations in (a) Ilkeston, (b) Belford, (c) Baschurch and (d) other locations.

Theresa Villiers: It is for the promoters of new stations, normally local authorities and PTEs, to carry out an economic assessment of the potential benefits of re-opening railway stations and to secure capital funding.
	Derbyshire county council is promoting a new station at Ilkeston and is endeavouring to secure capital funding. Northumberland county council is considering whether to proceed with a new station at Belford. We have had no indication that Shropshire county council is planning to re-open the station at Baschurch.

Railways: Disability

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the decision by train operating companies to charge disabled passengers for booking services.

Norman Baker: holding answer 6 February 2012
	The Association of Train Operating Companies has introduced improvements to the passenger assistance service which is now administered through a new call centre. Depending on the train company number used, calls are free or charged at local rates. Station staff will still give free advice and assistance to passengers to plan journeys and can, if required, contact the call centre on behalf of the passenger. Under the new arrangements passengers can also book assistance online.
	If my hon. Friend has specific concerns, I would ask him to write to me about these.

Railways: Richmond upon Thames

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will estimate the number of health and safety regulations to prevent overcrowding on commuter rail services serving stations in Richmond Park constituency that are enforced.

Theresa Villiers: Train operating companies have a general duty under the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974 to reduce health and safety risks so far as is reasonably practical.
	The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has a responsibility for ensuring railway companies protect passengers from any health and safety risks caused by crowded trains, within the terms of that Act. The ORR also has a more specific role on crowding issues in relation to circumstances such as emergency evacuations and crowding on stations or platforms.
	The extent of monitoring and enforcement of these duties is an operational safety matter for the ORR. My hon. Friend may wish to contact the ORR directly for further details.

Railways: South West

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have had with (i) South West Trains and (ii) Network Rail on integrated running of track and trains on the Wessex route.

Theresa Villiers: Ministers and officials are involved in extensive and ongoing discussions with South West Trains, Network Rail and the Office of Rail Regulation on the development of proposals by Network Rail and South West Trains for partnership working on the Wessex Route. The Government support industry efforts to improve the efficiency of the railways, with the aim of realising improvements for passengers and long term, sustainable, benefits for taxpayers.

Rescue Services: Fareham

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total cost to the Marine Coastguard Agency is of leasing the Marine Operations Centre in Fareham.

Michael Penning: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is in negotiation with the Department for Communities and Local Government on the transfer of responsibility for the Maritime Operations Centre. Once this is formalised and agreed, information on the duration and cost of the agreement will be published on the Government electronic Property Information Management System.

Rescue Services: Fareham

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how long the lease is on the Marine Operations Centre in Fareham.

Michael Penning: The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) currently hold a lease with the landlord which commenced on 14 May 2008 for a period of 25 years. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is working with DCLG to formalise an agreement that will transfer the property for MCA use through to the completion of the main lease.

Rescue Services: Finance

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the Statement of 14 July 2011, Official Report, column 506, on coastguard modernisation, what the (a) costs and (b) savings will be in each year of the current spending review period of the changes to coastguard stations.

Michael Penning: Actual costs and savings for the current spending review period arising from the Coastguard modernisation programme will be dependent on the outcome of ongoing negotiations and procurement activity.
	The then Secretary of State made clear on 14 July 2011, Official Report, columns 507 and 508, that the additional cost of revisions to the original proposals would be offset in part by the programme itself, and that costs overall would remain within our planned funding for the Coastguard as a whole.
	This is outlined in more detail in section eight of the second consultation document published to support the statement on 14 July 2011. A copy of this document is available in the Libraries of the House.

Roads: Crimes of Violence

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many incidents of objects being thrown at vehicles from bridges were recorded on the Highways Agency network in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and if she will undertake a review of the adequacy of measures in place to prevent such occurrences.

Michael Penning: The number of recorded incidents of objects being thrown at vehicles from bridges on the Highways Agency network in each of the last three years for which figures are available are shown as follows:
	
		
			  Number of objects thrown 
			 2009 222 
			 2010 165 
			 2011 130 
		
	
	The figures are taken from the Highways Agency's command and control system which is used to record details of incidents where the Highways Agency Traffic Officer Service has an involvement. These figures are not exhaustive as they only include incidents from those parts of the network patrolled by Highways Agency traffic officers and because this incident specific detail is not routinely collected more widely.
	Safety on our roads is a top priority and the agency is fully committed to doing everything it can to assist the police in bringing these dangerous and irresponsible activities to an end. Service providers maintaining the network are aware of agency requirements to minimise the amount of loose material at or near high-risk locations.
	There are nearly 9,000 bridges on the motorway and trunk road network in England. While on occasion it has been possible to raise the height of bridge parapets and provide domed cages on footbridges and over railways in urban areas, in most cases it is neither cost effective nor practical.
	Initiatives have, however, been put in place with the aim of reducing these incidents. These include educating young people through campaigns and the installation of close circuit television cameras and warning signs at high risk locations.

Roads: Litter

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department has taken to improve the removal of litter from the road network.

Michael Penning: The Highways Agency is responsible for clearing litter from motorways and a small number of trunk roads in England. Its Managing Agents are contracted to remove litter as part of a rolling programme.
	The existing Managing Agent contract also includes a 'blitz' clause which gives the Agency greater powers to instruct their Agents to carry out extra litter clearance in addition to the contract's performance requirements.
	The removal of litter from the majority of trunk roads and other roads in England is the responsibility of the relevant local authority. The Agency encourages partnership working between its Agents and local councils so that litter picking can be coordinated with other work to minimise disruption to the public.
	The Agency removes around 250,000 sacks of litter from the motorways every year and is encouraging drivers to keep a bag for rubbish in their vehicles, until it can be disposed of in a bin. The Agency is repeating this message and extending their “Bag it, Bin it!” message campaign during the build up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. Additionally, during the summer holiday period, they will be using social media channels and some roadside variable message signs to remind drivers to dispose of their litter responsibly.
	The Agency is also working with the relevant stakeholders on litter issues, including encouraging commercial vehicle operators to ensure their vehicles do not spill litter or debris. The Agency work with DEFRA and Keep Britain Tidy to raise public awareness of the dangers and costs of litter, and coordinates its activity under the national litter campaign “Love Where You Live”.

Shipping: Safety

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the withdrawal of support by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency for the Maritime Incident Response Group on 14 December 2011, what steps she has taken to ensure the safety of passengers and crew on board ships (a) sailing in British coastal waters and (b) at anchor in a harbour or port should they develop a major fire or related incident on board.

Michael Penning: The international conventions for the safety of life at sea (SOLAS) provide that vessel operators must ensure the operational safety of their vessels through the application of a safety management system, in accordance with the International Safety Management Code. Among other things this requires companies to operate their ships in accordance with mandatory rules and regulations and in such a way that prevents human injuries or loss of life, and avoids damage to the marine environment. This includes fire prevention and fire fighting measures.
	The responsibility of Government is to ensure that companies arrange their activities in compliance with the code.
	It is the statutory duty of the fire and rescue services to fight fires in ships within harbour or port limits.

Shipping: Safety

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether UK coastal fire and rescue services will continue to train for major incidents on ships (a) sailing in British coastal waters and (b) at anchor in a British harbour or port; and what steps she has taken to ensure that such training is adequately funded and that the equipment required is up-to-date and well maintained.

Michael Penning: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency understands that a fire response at sea capability is being maintained, at least until the end of March 2012, by the following fire and rescue services: East Sussex, Hampshire, Highlands and Islands, Humberside, Kent, Northumberland and Strathclyde.
	The extent to which those fire and rescue services are trained, receive funding and maintain their equipment is a matter for each service to consider.
	Her Majesty's Coastguard will task declared facilities as appropriate. Where there are no declared facilities from a fire and rescue service then the Coastguard will call on a commercial service to carry out an onboard fire assessment that will provide a judgment as to the viability of moving a casualty into a place of refuge where the fire would be fought by the fire and rescue under its statutory duty.

Speed Limits

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent consultations she has undertaken on (a) introducing more 20 mph zones in residential areas and (b) the fitting of mirrors to HGV vehicles so that cyclists can be seen.

Michael Penning: There have been no recent formal consultations regarding introducing more 20 mph zones in residential areas and the fitting of mirrors to HGVs so that cyclists can be seen.
	The Strategic Framework for Road Safety, published last year, recognised the value that 20 mph speed limits can bring, in some locations, including on lesser residential roads.
	It indicated that the Department's guidance about speed limits in urban areas would be revised with the aim of increasing flexibility. Work on revised guidance is under way and a consultation is planned for later this year.
	The framework also indicated that the Department would provide an economic tool to help local authorities assess the full costs and benefits of proposed speed limit schemes. Work has already started and I hope to publish a completed tool later this year.
	In the meantime, the Department has provided every English local highway authority with a traffic sign authorisation to use speed limit repeater signs in the place of physical measures in 20 mph zones, where vehicle speeds do not greatly exceed 20 mph. While traffic calming features cannot be omitted or removed altogether (at least one such feature is required within a 20 mph zone) this will provide greater flexibility and reduce costs for local authorities.
	To further reduce costs and sign clutter, the authorisation permits local authorities to place speed roundel markings without upright signs in 20 mph limits or zones.
	To help improve cycle safety, the Department has recently issued an authorisation to all highway authorities in England, permitting the use of ‘Trixi’ mirrors at traffic signal junctions.

Speed Limits

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of funding from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund has been used for (a) 20mph limit or zone schemes and (b) other schemes to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

Norman Baker: Eight of the 39 Local Sustainable Transport Fund projects mention delivering 20 mph limit or zones schemes, but there are likely to be more projects that include such initiatives within wider schemes. 38 of the 39 projects contain improvements for cyclists, which will also improve safety for pedestrians. Based on local authority information, we estimate that this equates to at least £40 million departmental funding to 2015.
	In addition, a further £11 million of the fund per year is ring-fenced for delivering Bikeability across the country. It is estimated this will deliver cycle training to over 1 million children between 2011 to 2015.
	I also recently announced a further £15 million for sustainable travel initiatives, some of which will go towards developing off-road infrastructure for cyclists which will improve cycle safety.

Thameslink: Contracts

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects the mandatory standstill period to be applied to the Thameslink contract.

Theresa Villiers: The Department will initiate the alcatel period a minimum of 10 days prior to contract award, as provided for by Regulation 33 of the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2006.

Third Sector

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department has taken to implement the principles of the Best Value Statutory guidance in respect of (a) giving at least three months’ notice to voluntary and community organisations and their service users when reducing or ending funding, (b) engaging with voluntary and community organisations and service users as early as possible before making a decision on the future of the service, any knock-on effects on assets used to provide this service and the wider impact on the local community and (c) making provision for voluntary and community organisations and service users to put forward options on how to reshape the service or project.

Norman Baker: The Best Value guidance does not legally apply to central Government Departments or their Executive agencies. However, central Government Departments, including the Department for Transport, support the fair standards set out in the guidance and have reaffirmed their commitment to the national Compact which sets the foundation for the relationship between Government and civil society organisations. The issues raised are covered by the Compact.
	In January, the National Audit Office published “Central Government’s implementation of the national Compact”, a report which provides commentary on the implementation of the national Compact across Government. DFT participated in the National Audit Office’s review of the national Compact implementation and will be following up as appropriate the recommendations within the National Audit Office report in order to ensure that the Department continues to be a model of collaborative working between Government and the voluntary sector.

Transport: Industrial Disputes

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she has had discussions with representatives from (a) the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union and (b) Rentokil Initial on the industrial dispute over rates of pay on the company's Eurostar contract. [R]

Theresa Villiers: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), has had no meetings with either the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union or Rentokil initial regarding the industrial dispute over rates of pay on the company's Eurostar contract.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Action for Employment

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what contracts his Department has with A4e; and what the (a) purpose and (b) value is of each such contract.

Norman Lamb: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have no contracts with A4e.

Billing: EU Law

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with his counterparts in other EU member states on when they plan to implement the EU Late Payment Directive.

Mark Prisk: Officials attended the first meeting of the late payment expert group, facilitated by the European Commission, on 3 February 2012. The group has been created to support member states to complete transposition of the recast directive by the deadline of 16 March 2013.

Billing: EU Law

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what representations he has received on the timing of the introduction of the EU Late Payment Directive.

Mark Prisk: The deadline for transposition of the recast EU late payment directive is 16 March 2013.
	Officials have been in regular discussion with UK business and finance bodies, and with individual businesses, about the content of the directive and the implementation process, including our intention to consult on implementation in coming months.
	Late payment was also discussed at my regular meeting with representatives of the UK's leading business and finance organisations earlier this month. The meeting acknowledged that the recast directive, which is essentially based upon current UK legislation and best practice, provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the rights and responsibilities the legislation provides and of best practice in managing customer relationships and cash flow.

Citizens’ Advice Bureaux: Finance

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what public funding is available to Citizens' Advice Bureau offices; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: The Government value highly the work of the Citizens Advice Service and supports the service through the provision of annual grant in aid to Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland—the umbrella bodies for the service in England and Wales and in Scotland. Total core funding from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) in 2011-12 to both organisations was £21.8 million. That level of funding will be maintained in 2012-13.
	BIS funding is provided on behalf of all Government Departments, the Welsh and Scottish Governments and enables both to provide essential business services to the bureaux network (IT infrastructure and content, research, training, and standards), without which the bureaux would not be able to provide services direct to the public.
	Central Government do not fund individual bureaux who receive core funding from their local authority who are better able to determine the level and nature of funding of advice services that meet the needs of their communities.

Employment: Tyne and Wear

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to support the employment base of Tyneside.

Mark Prisk: The Plan for Growth, published alongside Budget 2011, set out the Government's plan to put the UK on a path to sustainable, long-term economic growth. We are creating the right conditions for businesses to start up, invest, grow and create jobs.
	The Government have a range of policies to support growth. For example, the Regional Growth Fund supports areas currently reliant on the public sector in their transition to sustainable private sector-led growth and prosperity. The North East made 47 successful bids made to the first two rounds which will help create thousands of direct and indirect jobs.
	The North Eastern Local Enterprise Partnership was chosen as one of the first locations for an enterprise zone. The enterprise zone, an extension to which was announced at autumn statement of 29 November 2011, Official Report, columns 799-810, is one of six in which the Government are making available enhanced capital allowances to incentivise investment. The zone will provide opportunities for growth and jobs in sectors which the area has particular strengths.
	Tyneside is also one of five English locations that has been identified with strong Local Enterprise Partnerships, where company interest, traditional and developing industrial strengths in maritime and offshore engineering are combining to become a Centre for Offshore Renewable Engineering.

Engineering

Rebecca Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent representations he has received on the introduction of a chief engineering adviser for the purposes of advising the Government on how to support engineering in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has received no recent representations regarding the introduction of a chief engineering adviser. Professor John Perkins was appointed as BIS chief scientific adviser on 10 January 2012. His responsibilities include ensuring that the Department’s policies are informed by fit-for-purpose science, technology and engineering advice. As an experienced engineer, Professor Perkins is well placed to advise on engineering issues.

EU External Trade: Colombia

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether his Department assessed the effects of the EU trade agreement with (a) Colombia and (b) Peru; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each such assessment.

Norman Lamb: The European Commission published a Trade Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) of a potential Free Trade Agreement with the Andean countries in October 2009. This SIA used computable general equilibrium modelling to assess the possible impacts of an agreement on both the EU and Andean countries. It is available at
	http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2010/april/tradoc_146014.pdf

EU External Trade: Colombia

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 31 January 2012, Official Report, columns 37-8WS, on trade policy (opt-ins), what steps he plans to take to ratify the EU trade agreement with Colombia and Peru; and whether he plans to schedule debate and decision on the matter in the House.

Norman Lamb: The Trade Agreement between the EU and Colombia and Peru will be discussed at the Foreign Affairs Council (Trade) in March. Thereafter signature will take place. The consent of the European Parliament will be sought in late summer after which aspects of the agreement will be provisionally applied, before final conclusion. In due course a Command Paper and statutory instrument will be laid, and I expect to schedule discussions on the agreement in both Houses.

EU External Trade: Colombia

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 31 January 2012, Official Report, columns 37-8WS, on trade policy (opt-ins), what assessment he has made of the compliance of (a) Colombia and (b) Peru with the human rights clause of the EU trade agreement.

Norman Lamb: Provisional application of the EU-Andean Multiparty Trade Agreement will not commence until after the European Parliament gives consent to the agreement which we do not expect to take place until July 2012 or later: therefore no assessment can yet be made of parties' compliance with the human rights clause. The Government believe that trade agreements can help to create circumstances of stability in which human rights have a better chance of flourishing. The UK pressed hard for a robust and legally binding human rights clause in the agreement.

Higher Education: Admissions

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of contextual admissions criteria for evaluating applicants for university entrance at (a) Oxbridge or Russell Group universities and (b) other universities.

David Willetts: Universities are responsible for their own admissions policies and decisions. Whether to use such information is up to each university, as they will be best placed to decide on the information that will help to identify the candidates with the talent and potential to succeed at that institution or on a particular course. The Government believe that the use of such data is a valid and appropriate way for institutions to broaden access while maintaining excellence, so long as individuals are considered on their merits, and institutions’ procedures are fair, transparent and evidence-based.

Insolvency

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of businesses that have gone into administration in (a) England, (b) the north west and (c) Cumbria in each of the last five years.

Norman Lamb: No such estimates have been made. Official statistics covering administration and other corporate insolvency procedures within England and Wales are sourced from Companies House and are not currently available for England separately or at sub-national level.
	Annual totals for company administrations in England and Wales together are presented in Table 3 of the quarterly Insolvency Statistics, the latest publication of which can be found on the Insolvency Service website here:
	http://www.insolvencydirect.bis.gov.uk/otherinformation/statistics/201202/index.htm

Lighters: Safety

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2011, Official Report, column 275W, on lighters: safety, whether he expects to issue a direction to local authorities to implement Commission Decision 2006/502/EC in May 2012; and when he expects the UK to be able to support consistent enforcement across the EU.

Mark Prisk: I expect to issue a Direction to local authorities by 11 May 2012. We support a consistent approach to market surveillance both nationally and across the EU. However, Trading Standards are autonomous of central Government and are free to set their own priorities based on a proportionate approach to risk in line with better regulation principles.

Lighters: Safety

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2011, Official Report, column 275W, on lighters: safety, which authorities have taken action in response to concerns from industry.

Mark Prisk: Local authorities are not required to inform us of their market surveillance activities regarding lighters and as a result we do not have a complete picture of the activities that have been undertaken in response to concerns from industry.

Lighters: Safety

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2011, Official Report, column 275W, on lighters: safety, what assessment he has made of the implementation by local authorities of Commission Decision 2006/502/EC on child-resistant lighters; and if he will publish any such assessment.

Mark Prisk: No assessment has been made of the implementation of Commission Decision 2006/502/EC in the UK. This is not a legal requirement for member states.

Medicine: Research

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent progress his Department has made in implementing the Strategy for UK Life Sciences.

David Willetts: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is working closely with other Government Departments and Regulators to drive the Strategy forward. Progress to date includes:
	The appointment of two independent Life Sciences Champions: Professor Sir John Bell and Chris Brinsmead. They will act as advocates of the UK life sciences industry; provide support and challenge on implementation of the Strategy; and report bi-annually to Ministers and No. 10 on progress.
	We have commenced a review of the existing governance structures across the life sciences sector to identify whether a suitable group already exists to act as the Life Sciences Advisory Board. My officials are working with the Life Sciences Champions and key Departments to develop appropriate programme management and metrics.
	The Medical Research Council and the Technology Strategy Board are working on details of the Biomedical Catalyst which is expected to be launched later in the spring.
	The Medicines and Health Care products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is bringing forward consultation proposals for an 'Earlier Access Scheme'. The MHRA is currently finalising the consultation documents for the month of March. Additionally, an Impact Assessment is being carried out for the scheme, with input from my Department.
	Nine apprenticeships at post A-level education commenced on 7 February 2012. These apprenticeships form the first tranche of a programme led by Cogent to provide an alternative pathway for entry into industry at the technician level. Our ambition is to deliver 420 apprenticeships over the next five years.
	A Technical Apprenticeship Service (TAS) which acts as a one stop shop for life sciences employers to access the apprenticeship programme has been up and running since January 2012.
	To increase the uptake of industry placements in the UK an initial proposal for an industrial placement strategy has been drawn up.

New Businesses: Cumbria

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the availability of credit to new businesses in (a) Cumbria and (b) Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency; and what steps he is taking to increase this availability.

Mark Prisk: The Government have made it clear that ensuring the flow of credit to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is essential for supporting growth and is a core priority.
	Bank lending data are not collated at regional or constituency level by the Department. However, the recent conclusion of the Merlin Agreement shows that the five main UK banks made £74.9 billion of credit available to small and medium sized businesses in 2011.
	Further to this, during the last 18 months, the number and value of Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) loans to businesses in (a) Cumbria is 82 with a value of £6.67 million and (b) Westmorland and Lonsdale 23 with a value of £1.60 million.
	The Government also recently announced the National Loan Guarantee scheme, which will increase the affordability of bank credit to small businesses. Details on how the scheme can be accessed by SMEs will be given shortly.

Oxford University: Admissions

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people in each parliamentary constituency applied to study at Oxford and Cambridge universities in the last 10 years.

David Willetts: The information provided by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many (a) post offices have closed and (b) sub-post office franchises have not been renewed or replaced since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: Post Office Ltd is responsible for operational matters pertaining to the Post Office network, which includes the information requested. I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the managing director of Post Office Ltd, to respond directly to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
	This Government have been clear that there will be no further programme of post office closures. We have provided £1.34 billion to maintain a post office network of at least 11,500 branches, and for Post Office Ltd to continue to meet the strict access criteria. Network figures published in a written ministerial statement on 24 January 2012, Official Report, columns 8-12WS, show that there were 11,801 post office branches open and trading at the end of December 2011.

Self-employed: Adoption

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether self-employed adoptive parents are entitled to adoption allowances; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: Self-employed adopters do not qualify for statutory adoption pay (SAP). Under the qualifying conditions for SAP, an individual must: be an employee; work for someone who is liable to pay the employer's share of their class one national insurance contributions; earn at least the lower earnings limit; and have 26 weeks' continuous service with their employer by the time they are notified of having been matched with a child for adoption.
	However, under statutory adoption guidance, local authorities are asked to consider making a payment equivalent to maternity allowance in cases where adopters do not qualify for SAP. This might happen where an adopter is self-employed, does not have sufficient qualifying service with their employer or is low-paid.
	In addition, all prospective adopters (irrespective of whether they are self-employed or not) are entitled to an assessment for financial support in certain circumstances. The provision of that support is discretionary and, in deciding whether to provide adoption support, local authorities must take into account the particular circumstances of the individuals concerned. Local authorities are required to provide an Adoption Support Services Adviser whose role is to give out advice and information to those affected by adoption regarding the services that are available within the local area and how to access those services.

Students: Fees and Charges

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what tuition fee arrangements will apply to students who have deferred for medical reasons prior to the start date of their degree course.

David Willetts: Students who accepted a place on a course to begin in the 2011/12 academic year, but have deferred starting the course due to specific reasons (such as medical reasons) until 1 September 2012 or after, will be subject to the new tuition and maintenance arrangements. The university or college will therefore be able to charge them up to a maximum of £9,000 a year for tuition.
	Universities and colleges have the discretion to decide to charge a lower amount for tuition for particular students where they consider it to be appropriate.

Supermarkets: Competition

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will bring forward a Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill in the next Session.

Norman Lamb: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 7 February 2012, Official Report, column 251W.
	The following questions were answered on 22 February 2012

Copyright: Arts

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of audio-visual works and works embedded within them that would need to be licensed under his proposals for the use of works for education under (a) option 5 and (b) option 6 of the Copyright Consultation.

Norman Lamb: No estimate has been made of the number of audio-visual works that would need to be licensed. The Government are currently consulting on the scope of copyright exceptions for education, and the costs and benefits of these exceptions and the licenses that relate to them. Interested parties are invited to submit all relevant evidence and data to the Government’s consultation to help assist with analysis of the options under consideration.

Departmental Drinks

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department has spent on (a) wine, (b) other alcoholic refreshments and (c) bottled water since May 2010.

Norman Lamb: holding answer 25 January 2012
	After research by officials which has resulted in the delay to this answer, I confirm that the information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the Department has installed a system to filter and bottle tap water on site. The Department now no longer purchases bottled water.

Patents: Science

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to promote innovation through the application of patent law to biomedical inventions.

Norman Lamb: holding answer 20 February 2012
	Patent law in the UK is applied to patent applications for inventions arising from all fields of technology including biomedical inventions. The UK’s patent system is designed to encourage invention by enabling inventors to protect new ideas and secure a return for their effort. This protection is provided to patent holders by the grant of time-limited exclusive rights in the UK market. In addition, further research by third parties is stimulated because it is a feature of the patent system that details of the invention are made public. This encourages inventions which follow on or work around existing inventions.

UK Export Finance

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 2 February 2012, Official Report, column 729W, on UK Export Finance, which exporters applied to use UK Export Finance products in 2011-12.

Norman Lamb: It is not the practice of the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) to routinely publish the names of applicants for its products for reasons of commercial confidentiality. If, subsequently, ECGD issues support for an export contract, details, including the names of exporters, are normally published in ECGD’s Annual Report and Accounts which is laid before Parliament.